Pure
by Merikatori
Summary: They met her when they were 7, they grew up together, she was their light and they were her shadow, they were childhood friends. But things changed and what if they all wanted something more than friend? Would they get it and were forever bonded, or love would ruin their beautiful friendship? [StiLu][RoLu][Au]
1. Chapter 1 - He's such a jerk

**My first fanfic ever XD I'm so excited, please be nice to me :D**

**English is not my first language so ... yeah, forgive me if I make any mistakes and don't hesitate to point it out, I'm not the best but I'll try my best.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 1 - He's such a jerk**

"I'm so sorry"… *sob sob*… "I know that you like him a lot, maybe even love him." … * sob sob* …. "But love can't be forced, you know that, right? *sob sob* – Lucy tried the tenth time to comfort the girl in front of her, but she just wouldn't stop crying and sobbing and sniffing. She sighed.

_Sting Eucliffe, you're so dead. _

She thought angrily, trying to calm herself down before she decided to rush at him, punching him to destroy his handsome face or kicking him in the groin so he would never be able to reproduce again.

"B.. *sob* ..but he...*sob* s..said *sob* h…he.. l..liked *sob* m..me *sob*."

"I know, I know, but… maybe he only meant he… liked…you, not liked… like… you know..."

*huaaaa huhuhuhuhu* (The girl cried even more)

Lucy felt like dying, how did she even get into this dilemma in the first place? The last time she remembered, she swore that she would never end up fixing another mess made by Sting Eucliffe a.k.a her childhood friend ever again.

_Gosh he's such a pig. Running around making girls cry like that, how did we become friends anyway? _

Sure he was her childhood friend, they knew each other for 10 years, but ever since she returned from America, every time he broke up with some girls or rejected some girls, she just had to be the one to clean up his mess. And that… was fucking annoying. She wondered how Rogue could keep up with him like that. If Lucy didn't have such a high tolerance, Sting would be dead a long time ago and this time of every year would be his death anniversary.

*Rrrriiiinnnng rrriiinnngggg…*

_Finally, saved by the bell. _

"I'm so sorry about you and him, just… try to move on, okay? That's all I can say to you." - The girl nodded and forced a little smile.

"Thank you, you're so nice."

She thanked Lucy and made her way to her classroom still crying. She sighed again and came back to her classroom. She hoped that the girl would feel better.

_There goes my lunch time - again, instead of sitting under the sakura tree, my favorite spot, eating my delicious lunch my mom had made for me, I just have to try to comfort another ex-girlfriend of that Bee-boy, I wonder what all those girls see in him anyway? Sure he's handsome with that blond spiky hair, a lean, gorgeous body with muscles and stuff, a bad boy attitude that every girl wants to tame, that's what they say and he's the star of Sabertooth basketball team. But other than that, what else? Don't tell me that all they see in him. _

Lucy never cared about how Sting looked like. She only cared about his personality, she didn't understand why girls still drooling over him although he acted like a jerk sometimes. She sighed... again, making her way to her desk, so lost in thought that she didn't notice Gray or Erza was waving at her or greeted her.

_I'm his childhood friend._ She rolled her eyes. _I've been with him long enough to know that he eats like a pig, sleeping without any clothes on, always teasing me, very possessive… etc... etc…_ She smiled a bit. _All those girls probably don't know that. If they know about it, his reputation will be totally destroyed. Two years and he's still no different. _She shook her head, still smiling like an idiot, and then lost in thought again.

"Lucy." (no answer) "Lucy." (still no answer) "LUCY!" - Lucy jumped. - "Huh…?" - She looked at Erza and Gray, worry was written all over their faces.

"We've been calling you for almost 10 minutes, are you okay?" – Gray asked worriedly. -"Yeah Lucy, are you feeling well?" – Erza put her palm on Lucy's forehead to check her temperature.

Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster had been her best friends since junior high school. After she came back from America, they met again at Fiore Academy. Erza was really scary, but she really cared about her friends, protective of them, especially Lucy, no one dared to make her cry (yet), because they afraid of what would happen to them once Erza found out. She was the president of Student Council and the best at fencing.

Gray was the male swimming team's captain, he loved swimming. Gray was usually found half-naked, probably due to his liking. He had a crush on the blonde girl when they were in junior, he tried to move on after realized that Lucy maybe never be able to return his feeling, but he still cared deeply for her.

"I'm fine, guys." - Lucy smiled, she felt very lucky to have wonderful friends like them.

"Just thinking about some stuff, I'm okay." - Erza and Gray nodded

"All right, but if something's wrong, you have to tell us okay?" - Erza demanded.

She giggled - "Aye, ma'am".

With that, they returned to their seat as their home room teacher walked in. Lucy tried to put the thought about Sting aside to focus on the lesson. After all, she was the top student of Fiore, study was her top priority.

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><p><strong>[Time skip, after the fifth period]<strong>

"Sting, why are you skipping class again? You're not a prodigy, you know." Rogue asked.

Rogue was Sting's best friend and they were like brothers. He was an orphan and adopted by Sting's father when he was 6, they'd grown up together along with Lucy. Rogue had messy black hair covering one of his eyes. He was calm, nice, quite and collected, the opposite of Sting who was rude, cocky, arrogant, and short-temper, the only common between them was probably Lucy.

"It's not my fault that that old hag has a crush on me, she creeps me out every time I see her. Did you see the way she look at me? That's disgusting."

Sting shuddered. He rather stayed out here, lying down on the rooftop of the building, doing nothing, taking a nap or something, than stayed in class with that creepy-teacher Minerva. Minerva was the history teacher of Fiore, she was scary to most of them, and she had a student-complex. Everybody knew that she liked Sting, she didn't even deny it. Although relationship between a teacher and a student is forbidden in this school, but she didn't care. And Sting, hated her because of that. He knew he had to do something about it or he wouldn't be able to survive till the end of the year.

"Tell Master Makarov or Jiemma about it once they return, I'm sure they'll have some methods."

Sting nodded, still staring at the sky. Rogue leaned against the rail, looking down the yard. He saw Lucy talking to the red hair girl and the black hair boy. She was smiling and laughing at something they said. Lucy was really beautiful. Just like Sting, Rogue had been her childhood friend for 10 years. She was the only girl Rogue ever cared about, he knew when she was sad or in trouble. He looked at her and smile a bit, recalling this noon when she stomped off to her class, pulling a wry face, not noticing someone was watching her.

_She's cute when she's mad, probably at Sting._

"Sting!" - Rogue called him

"Huhm….?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why dating all those girls when the one you obviously want is Lucy?"

Sting raised an eyebrow, turning his head to look at his best/childhood friend.

"I can't do that, she's my childhood friend, we've grown up together, remember?"

"So?" - Rogue also raised an eyebrow.

Sting sighed, then spoke again. - "It would be awkward between me and her. Beside…" - His voice saddened. - "I'm not good enough for her. She's too pure, like an angel, I can't taint her, I just want her to stay by my side, that's all."

Rogue stared at him. - "You should let it go you know, the past is in the past, let it go, nobody blamed you for what happened." - He said.

Sting didn't answer after that, he was deep in thought. It was not that he didn't want to let it go, he tried and tried but it was still haunting him, until now. He sighed again then got up, brushing off some dust and making his way to the door. He turned the knock, then looked back at Rogue who was still staring at him.

"C'mon, are you gonna stand there and stare at me the whole day? I wanna go home."

Rogue let out a deep breath, then nodded. - "Let's go."

**End of chapter 1**

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><p><strong>Read and Review please, tell me what you think :D Thank you!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2 - Finally

**Thank you for all those favorite, following and reviews XD I appreciate it :D Here's the chapter 2, enjoy :D**

**English is not my mother language so forgive me if I make any mistakes :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 2 - Finally**

**[3 weeks ago]**

"Sting!"

"Sting, wake up, we're gonna be late!"

Sting groaned. - "5 more minutes" – He hugged his bolster tighter.

"No more 5 more minutes, you said that half an hour ago, wake up now or I'll leave you behind." - Rogue grumbled. Sting didn't budge a muscle.

He stared at the blonde for a minute then sighed and narrowed his eyes - "Fine, I'm outta here." - He grabbed his school bag, grunting something sound like 'Idiot Sting', then left.

So there was only Sting at home, still snoring and mumbling in his sleep, father had gone to work very early. He didn't care if he was late anyway, he would skip class today if he had to, Rufus's party gave him a headache and a hangover, he just wanted to get some sleep.

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><p><strong>[Sting POV]<strong>

_"Sting... my sweet heart... Sting."_

_I heard someone was calling me... a very familiar voice... a woman... Where am I anyway? I open my eyes and look around, everything are white, I can't see anything but white. Am I dead?... I snort. You're not dead, you idiot. The great and mighty Sting can't be dead that easily…_

_"Sting baby, my baby…" _

_That voice again, I try to listen more carefully… _

_"Sting..."_

_I gasped. "Mom?" - That's mom's voice, I spin around looking for my mom, where is she?  
><em>

_"Mom, where are you?"_

_ …Wait, my voice sounds weird, like a girl. I scowl and look at myself. I'm… a kid? I look like I'm 7 again. I'm wearing my yellow T-shirt with a white chibi dragon on it and some dots… That's strange, I don't remember my favorite T-shirt has some dots... red... dots… Is that…? Blood? I take a closer look, the dots then spread until my shirt is soaked with blood. My eyes widen in horror, no… it… it can't be, not again, not again… I shut my eyes, so tight that my eyelids hurt, I hold my head and pray, pray that Rogue will be there to wake me up. Yes I know it's a dream, no, a nightmare, I just want to wake up, I have to wake up._

_"Sting, don't cry baby." _

_It's mom's voice again. I'm crying, I know I'm crying, I can feel my cheeks wet with tears, then I feel someone's hand touches my face. I forget that this is not reality, I open my eyes. Mom? Her hand is so soft and she's… smiling, mom's smiling at me. Mom... I'm about to smile back but... then, it's looks like someone is pulling her away from me, but she's still smiling at me, I try to call her but no sound come out. Her face twitches, she vomits out blood and collapses on the ground. I'm staring at her with horror in my eyes, I'm trying to move but I can't, it feels like someone is holding my legs, then I feel something cold in my hand. I look at my hands then at my mom, tears are falling down my face, my eyes blurred. No, mom, please... please, wake up, please wake up, mom._

_I fall to my knees and scream..._

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><p>Sting's eyes shot open. He got up, panting, looking around, then sighed in relief that this is reality. He touched his face and knitted his eyebrows.<p>

_Tears? _

_Shit._

That nightmare again. He sighed, it still haunted him, after all these years and it still haunted him… He gulped, his throat was dry, he rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. It's 9 AM, he'd been late already, he didn't have to hurry, another minute wouldn't change anything. So he took a bath, wore his uniform and left for school at 9.40. Sting disdained to run, just walking with deliberate steps. He didn't think of anything, the flashback of the nightmare just kept playing in his mind, it made him feel numb and empty.

_What should I do so that fucking past could leave me alone? Was I really a horrible person in my previous life, so now I have to take the consequences? _

He sighed, tried to put that thought aside and focus on where he was going. The last time he was so deep in thought, he had lost and had to call Rogue to come to the rescue. Rogue just kept teasing him after that.

He looked at one of the shop as he passed by and a white simple summer dress with flowers at its hem attracted his attention. He stared at the dress, it reminded him of a girl. A girl with blond hair and radiant smiles.

_Lucy… White suits her. _

The corner of his lips turned up, he missed that girl.

_When will you come back huh, you little brat? _

Lucy had gone to America two summer seasons ago because her parents had business abroad. It was a usual morning when Sting and Rogue came to Heartfilia's mansion so they could go to school together. But when the boys came, Caprico said that they had gone. Lucy's mother – Layla-san didn't want to leave her daughter behind so they decided to bring her along. He also said he didn't know when would they come back, because Jude didn't tell him exactly when, he just told him to take care of the mansion and they would come back as soon as possible.

Sting was really mad, he couldn't stand not see her one day and now he couldn't see her for God knew how long? It would be torture and he knew it. They were both worried and upset because Lucy didn't say anything about leaving, she'd just... gone like that. But a week later, they got a mail from her. It said that she was fine and she was so sorry that she couldn't say goodbye to them, even a text or a phone call. She explained that if she had done that, she probably would have cry loudly and endlessly, and they definitely couldn't have gone, at all.

Sting chuckled at the memory. They kept in touch after that, sending mails to each other once in a while. He missed her every single day, he missed her laugh, her smile, her touch, her voice. Lucy was very special to him. She was the reason why he could endure that blood curling memory everyday. If it was not for her, he probably would have gone mad and had to go an asylum. She was his light, his angel, his everything and he would do anything to make her happy.

_Lucy… please come back soon._

By the time he had gone to school, it was already 10AM. The third period was about to end in 15 minutes, so he went to the canteen to grab a burger, his stomach was grumbling loudly.

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><p><strong>[15 minutes later]<strong>

"Hey Rogue... (no answer) Rogue ...(still no answer)….Rog-"

"What?" - He snapped.

Yukino was bothering him till no end ever since the second period. She just kept asking about Sting: "Why was he not in class?", "Was he sick or something?","Why were you leave him behind?", "Can I visit him after class?"… blah blah blah… "Sting + late" was a regular sight to people in class, but apparently, not to Yukino.

Rogue tried to keep calm but the girl was getting on his nerves. He glared at her. Yukino gulped and laughed nervously.

"Sorry, but… I just…".

She was about to finish her sentence but a figure caught her eyes. People also turned their head to see who slammed the door open, greeting the person then went back to what they were doing. It was Sting.

Yukino completely forgot what she was about to ask Rogue and focus her attention on Sting. She liked Sting a lot and still trying so hard to capture his heart, but it seemed like he didn't take much interesting in girls. Sure he dated a lot, but his relationships usually ended in about a week, sometimes almost a month. So she still had her chance, right? She recalled all the girls he dated and took notice that they usually had shoulder-length, blond hair and brown eyes. Was that his type of girl? She thought about it and decided not to cut her hair, just let it grow a bit longer and then she would dye it golden. She hoped that her new look would caught his eyes.

Rogue saw the way Yukino look at Sting and raised an eyebrow, he scoffed.

_Don't try so hard Yukino, I don't want to be the one who told you that the high and mighty Sting wanna break up with you. You don't want to taste that bitter feeling now, do you? _

Rogue was Sting's wing-man. His "mission" was "saying goodbye" to the girls Sting no longer took interesting in. The reward would be Sting doing all the housework for two days. It's just a simple task so Rogue didn't mind. He once asked Sting why he didn't do it by himself and Sting said that he hated seeing girls cry when the truth was, he hated seeing "blond girls" cry. It reminded him of Lucy, and Lucy + cry = Sting's weakness. So… yeah.

Sting made his way to his seat and felt Rogue's glare burning a hole through his skull. He chuckled and raised his hand, making a V mark.

"Yo, Rouge."

"Yo yourself, don't you know what time is it? Stop skipping class, you're not a pro..."

"Prodigy, I know" - He sighed – "Tell me something I don't know."

"Tsk.." - Rogue turned his head to look outside of the windows, but then looked at his friend again as if remembered something.

"Actually, there is something..."

Sting stared at him, then blinked – "Huh?"

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><p><strong>[Lunch time]<strong>

"WHAT? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER!" - Sting shouted at him. He had to covered his ears or he would turn deaf. Rogue scowled at the blond.

"Relax, she hasn't been here yet, I just heard the news this morning."

"When?"

Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"Are you listening to me? I said this morning."

"No, I mean when will she be here, tomorrow or this after noon or…?" - Sting asked, pacing back and forth, he was so happy. Lucy would come back, she would come back, he wanted to jump and shout and dance chicken's dance like an idiot but reminded himself that Rogue was still here.

"Huhm... Maybe tomorrow, I called her mansion this morning but Caprico said they won't return until tonight."

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><p><strong><em>[Flash back]<em>**

_Rogue went to his class, still mumbling about something. He took his seat after had greeted Rufus and Orga. Taking out his note, he began to study in case he had to recite his lesson._

_"How did you know?"_

_"My mom heard it when she passed the principal office."_

_"An heiress go to our school? Woaaa..."_

_"Shush, you're speaking too loud, my mom would kill me if she knew I told you." - H_e sat behind two girl and could hear them clearly._ He scoffed. _

Like they didn't speak loudly enough.

_Fortunately, nobody except Rogue heard them because people were still busy bickering, chatting, or laughing to even notice._

_"A Heartfilia, no kidding." – Rogue's ear perked at the name - _Hearfilia? Lucy?

_His eyes widened, he slammed his note on the desk and turned to the source of the information. It took two girls almost 10 minutes before they could answer him properly, because they just kept staring at him with dreamy eyes and stuttering about something like "He's talking to me" and other stuff that he couldn't understand._

Lucy… Lucy will be here?

_He grinned and turned around swiftly before anyone saw him acting so out of character._ _He quickly pulled out his cell, dialing the number of Heartfilia's mansion. The bell rang about 20 seconds but he felt like forever. _

Finally, two years… You finally come back to us, Luce.

_The butler picked up the phone and recognized Rogue's voice immediately. He then told him that Lucy and her parents were going home tonight and she would be at Fiore Academy tomorrow. Rogue covered his mouth, still smiling. _

Lucy, I wonder how does she look, does her hair grow longer? Is she taller? Is she fatter?

_Rogue chuckled as he imagined the fat Lucy rolled down the street instead of walking. Whatever, he still loved her anyway._

**_[End of flashback]_**

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><p>Sting also snickered at the thought. Lucy and fat? A bad combination, he really hoped that she wouldn't get fat because he didn't want his spine got broken when he gave her a piggy back. Although he wanted to rush to the airport so badly to meet her the moment she got down the airplane, he didn't know when and she had to rest after a long flight... so he had to wait for tomorrow.<p>

_Finally…_

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><p><strong>[The next morning]<strong>

"Hime-sama… Hime-sama… please wake up Hime-sama." - Lucy groaned and rubbed her eyes. Virgo was standing near her bed, waiting for her.

"'Morning Virgo." - She smiled, then froze.

_What is Virgo doing here? _

As if reading her thought, Virgo said - "Hime-sama, you're at home."

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

"Ahh…" - She chuckled – "Yes, home."

"I'm up, thank you, you can leave now Virgo, tell mother I'll be downstairs in a minute."

"Hai, Hime-sama." – She bowed, leaving Lucy's uniform on the bed then left.

Lucy washed her teeth, taking a quick shower, then picked up her uniform. It was a white shirt with pleated striped gray skirt, she wore a diagonal striped tie and put on a light yellow sleeveless-sweater to complete the suit. Her hair had grown pretty long, they passed her shoulder and flew down the middle of her back. She decided not to tie it. She looked at the mirror and smiled, she couldn't wait to see her friends again. Sting, Rogue, Gray, Erza, Levi, Gajeel, Cana... She was so excited.

_I wonder how they are now? I miss them so much, especially Sting and Rogue. Oh, I miss that Bee boy's yell every time I smacked him. _

She chuckled. _I miss Rogue's caress too. He did it all the time when we were young, when I was sad or in trouble, he would caress my cheek, and then asked me if I was okay, he's so sweet. _

She put on her black knee socks and slipped on her slippers. She came downstairs to join breakfast with her parents. _Better be hurry, father won't be please if I take too long._

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><p>"Hey Gray."<p>

"'Morning Gray."

"Nice shirt Gray, but I doubt that you can keep it on without take it off in thirty minutes." - Jet joked and the class busted out in laugh. Gray smirked.

"Wanna bet?"

Jet grinned. - "Bring it on."

With that, they started making bet on how long Gray could keep his shirt on. Levi giggled and Erza shook her head. Gray was more joyful than usual, they could see it. Well, everyone was because today, they were gonna have a new member. Erza, Gray and Levi had already known who she was. She had called them yesterday after all.

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><p><strong>[10 minutes later]<strong>

"Good morning class." – Gildart-sensei greeted his kids

"Good morning sensei." – The whole class stood up and bowed to their teacher, then sat down.

He cleared his throat.

"Class, as you know, we have a new member today. Please welcome and treat her well, okay? Come in, blondie."

Lucy was a little nervous, she hoped that she would be okay. She took a deep breath then walked in. Lucy bowed then put on her best smile.

"Hello everyone, my name is Lucy, nice to meet you."

The whole class was silent for a minute, Lucy wondered if she had said something wrong. They grinned and greeted her... well more like shouted at her.

"NICE TO MEET YOU LUCY!"

She jumped. _Woaaa,_ _that was unexpected._ Gildart chuckled when he saw it and he told her.

"Fairy Style, that's how they greet new members."

She laughed and thanked them. She recognized all her friends from junior high, she waved at Levi, nodded at Cana, smiled at Erza, and winked at Gray.

At that moment, they all had the same thought.

_Finally..._

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><p><strong>[Lunch time]<strong>

"Have you found her yet?" - Rogue shook his head.

Sting grunted. They were almost late this morning (again), so they didn't have time to go her place. They didn't know which class she was in but they wanted to meet her so bad that they practically ran around the whole school to find her.

The boys sat down, still panting from all the running, sulking, and grunting, wondering why their favorite girl hadn't showed up yet, not noticing a figure was slowly sneaking behind their back...

Lucy was standing on the rooftop of the building when she noticed a blond and a raven hair guy were running around looking for something, or rather... someone. She chuckled. _There they are... Humh... haven't changed much. _Well, she decided to end their misery. Walking across the yard, she spotted them under a sakura tree, their backs were facing her. Lucy sneaked behind them, taking a deep breath. Lucy was about to shouted at them and made them jumped, then she would laugh at them and tease them, just like old time. But they beat her to it.

"Long time no see, Luce." - They said simultaneously and turned around, seeing her was blowing out her cheek. Trying to keep their serious faces, Rouge raised his left eyebrow while Sting raised his right eyebrow.

She sighed and pouted. - "Aww… you ruined the surprise."

She stared at them.

They stared at her.

After a minute,

"LUCY!". They boys shouted (well... more like Sting, Rogue just smiled), then rushed at her. Sting picked her up and spun her around in circle while they were laughing together. _Finally..._

"Okay, okay, put me down, you make me feel dizzy Stingy" - She said and smiled at him. Sting set her down, still holding her waist, he put his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, whispering – "I missed you, Luce."

She touched his face tenderly. - "I missed you too." - They grinned at each other.

Sting released her and Lucy looked at Rogue, red met chocolate-brown. Rogue moved towards her slowly then swung his arms and hugged her tight, inhaling her scent. He caressed her cheek, making her feel warm.

_Gosh, I missed this... _

She closed her eyes. Sting put his head on her shoulder, hugging her from behind. The trio just stayed like that, enjoying the warmth under the sakura tree. Birds were singing and the sun was shining, like they were celebrating the meeting of three friends after two years of distance.

"Welcome home, Luce."

_Home… Finally._

**End of chapter 2**

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading :D<strong>

**I'll see you soon :D**


	3. Chapter 3 - Their friendship

**Hiiiiii! Thank you for favorite, following and review XD I appreciate it.**

**Luna New Year is coming, I got a break from school so I have pretty much time to write, I'm so excited XD.**

**Here the new chapter, I kinda put lots of details and sometimes I can't remember them all. So if you see any contradiction, just point it out :D**

**English is not my mother language so forgive me if I make mistakes and don't hesitate to point it out too. Thank you and enjoy XD.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 3 - Their friendship  
><strong>

"Let me take a look…" – Said Sting after they released one another. He leaned back to look at her.

_Huhm… Still slender, thank God… taller, pale skin, brown-chocolate eyes, small nose, rosy-pink lips... huhmm... oh how I want to taste those lips so badly, hair are longer and... _

His eyes trailed down her hair, face, neck and halted at her brea….

"Gosh, Luce …" - He grinned – "Your boobs must have consumed all the nutrients, they look... really fecund". He nodded his head in approval.

"Pfff…." - Rogue tried to contain his laugh while Lucy froze in shock, she blushed furiously.

"SHUT UP YOU PERVERT, WHERE ARE YOU STARING AT? AND LEAVE MY BOOBS ALONE!"

She yelled at him and smacked the back of his head. He laughed, clearly expecting her action. She glared at him and Rogue. Rogue turned away nonchalantly, but you could see amusement playing in his eyes while Sting seemed unaffected. He pinched her cheek and ruffed her hair. _She's so cute._

After fixing her hair, Lucy and her boys sat down in a circle. Lunch was long forgotten.

"How did you guys know it was me anyway?" - She asked.

"Your scent" - They answered simultaneously.

She stared at them for a while then started to sniff her armpits. Sting laughed lightly while Rogue smiled in amusement.

"Huhm… strange, I remembered taking a shower this morning" – She joked and grinned.

_She still hasn't changed. _Rogue shook his head then asked.

"So why didn't you call and tell us you were coming home anyway, we found out by chance you know?"

"Really? Sorry, I wanted to surprise you guys so I just called some of my other friends last night. …But… wait, how did you know that the new student was me? My father had asked Mr. Makarov quite obviously that my identity needed to be kept secret."

Lucy didn't want people to treat her biasedly or mumble behind her back because she was the heiress of Heartfilia family - the most wealthy family in country. She didn't like the attention either, people would treat her more honestly if they didn't know who she was.

"Some girls told me about it, it seems like her mother eavesdropped on exchanges between Master and your father, she told her daughter and her daughter told her friend." - Rogue said calmly.

Lucy thought for a while then told him. - "Tell me those girls name later, I'll have my father or Mr. Makarov talk to them." - Rogue nodded, then asked her which class was she in. She said that she was in F1 and asked them to explain some questions that she had about Fiore Academy, she forgot to google it on the internet.

Rogue said that beside regular classes, Fiore also had 4 guilds : Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel. Every guild divided into classes depend on the number of its students and had its own buildings as well as insignia. Lucy was in F1, so that means she was a member of Fairy Tail - class number 1. Rogue and Sting were in S1, that means they were members of Sabertooth – class number 1.

Those guilds were the places only for talented students. They must have at least an outstanding aptitude for something to be accepted to a guild. Sting and Rogue were excellent at sports, especially basket ball, Levi could speak 3 lingoes, Cana was one of the most potential boxers, Erza was a sword-player, Gray was the fastest swimmer... etc. Lucy's mother, Layla, used to go to Fiore Academy too. That's why Lucy was here, she didn't know that she was in the same class with most of her best friends was just a coincidence, or it was arranged by her mother. Either way, Lucy was happy that she could be near her friends again.

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile]<strong>

Gray, Erza and Levi were sitting on their usual seat at the canteen. Erza was having a strawberry shortcake while Gray was having Udon* and Levi was texting with her boyfriend, Gajeel.

"Nevi, iz Gazel feening betner?" – Gray asked with his mouth full of noodle.

Levi made a face.

"Is Gajeel feeling better?" – He swallowed and asked again.

"Oh... Yeah, he already took his pills, he'll be better soon." – Levi smiled.

"It's really unusual to see Gajeel to be on the sick list huh, and here I thought he was invincible." – Gray mocked.

"He's only human Gray, stop mocking him." - Levi frowned.

Gray chuckled - "Just kidding."

"I told him about Lu-chan and… wait…" Levi stopped texting and looked at her friends.

"Where is Lu-chan? She doesn't want to join lunch with us?" - She pouted.

"No... I mean, she wanted to but she had to see some of her friends first." - Erza answered and Gray raised an eyebrow, she sighed.

"Yes, Sting and Rogue of Sabertooth".

Levi gasped.

"Sabertooth? But… they're Fairy Tail's rival. We have an unspoken rule that no Fairy should be friends with a Tiger and vice versa, right?"

"I know, but Sting and Rogue have been friends with her since they were 7. They've known one another for a very long time, so I guess that can be the exception. Besides the rule is not obligatory. Fairy Tail and Sabertooth were rivals, not archenemies. We'll tell them when it's necessary, I'm sure they'll understand." - Erza said calmly. Gray and Levi nodded.

_So there are only me and Gray that know about her childhood friends, huh…_

Erza was astonished back then when she heard that they were friends of Lucy because two of her friends... let just say that they didn't have a "very good relationship" with two Tigers when they were kids. They got into fights a lots untill her friends moved out of town and they hadn't met since then. She didn't know them well enough to trust them, even though they're Lucy friends. She hoped that Lucy's friendship with them wouldn't make war break out between two guilds in the future.

* * *

><p>Lucy listened carefully and looked at the shiny metal object was pin on her sweater.<p>

_So this is Fairy Tail's insignia. _

"Insignias were painted on buildings so students wouldn't be lost. They can choose to stay at the dorm if their house are too far from Fiore. Students were classified and transfered to every guild according to their aspirations._ Ahh, so it was mother's arrangement._

"Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus are specialized in artistic while Fairy Tail and Sabertooth are specialized in sports." – Sting said and wondered whether he should tell her about the animosity between Fairy Tail and Sabertooth or not, but finally decided against it, because it was a long story and kinda complicated so he would let her find out herself.

"Woaa, you guys play basketball, that's cool." - She exclaimed. Rogue smiled and Sting smirked.

"Wanna see us practice?" - She nodded eagerly. Sting chuckled.

"Then waited for us after school okay?" - He ruffed her hair and they came back their classes. The bell had rung 10 seconds ago and they didn't wanna be late.

* * *

><p><strong>[ The first period in the afternoon]<strong>

**[Yukino's POV]**

I'm sitting at my desk, staring blankly at the green board. Ichiya-sensei was talking about Biotechnology's achievement in fragrance industry or something, but the words just keep going in one of my ears then going out of the other, I'm still thinking about what I saw on lunch break.

I was at the library to exchange some books when I saw _him_, Rogue and a girl. Normally, I would just shrug it off and assume that was one of his girlfriends, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that she seemed different. They were having a staring contest, and I was wondering "What are they doing?" Sting said something to the girl then rushed at her and picked her up, spinning her around. My eyes widened, I blinked, what the hell was that? And he was…. laughing?

I gasped, quite shocking, he was laughing.

Sting was laughing and he looked really happy. I never saw him acting like that before. He would only smirk or give a sarcastic smile, never a genuine smile or a laugh. What was he laughing about?

He set her down then put his forehead against her. I feel my heart ache. He looked so gentle and sweet. They're very close, I can see it. I wish that he could look at me like that with that deep blue eyes of his, touching me like he had touched her. Who is that girl? I've never seen her before.

She's really beautiful, she has long blond hair, pale skin and brilliant smile. I can't see her eyes but I bet that her eyes are brown. Same type as those girl he had dated but… Is she Sting's special girl? I'm not stupid, I know what I saw. He never acted like that around other girls. The Sting I know is cold, cocky and doesn't give a damn about anything. The Sting I saw was childlike and impartial. It's like he has split personality or something.

I looked at the trio again and saw Rogue also hugged her. Huhm… So she's not Sting's girlfriend? I really hope so. Maybe they're friends? But if she's only his friend, then why did he date all those girls who have the same look as hers? Was that a coincidence? Does he like her, love her even? The trio were hugging one another, but lucky for them not many people were passing by. I wondered what rumors would spread through the school when they saw what I saw.

Does Sting know that? He probably doesn't care. What if she's his special girl, and all those girls he dated before were only temporary replacement? I asked myself again. But then... what if she isn't? I can't jump in conclusion like that, right? I have to ask Rogue about her and I hope that he will tell me.

I can't give up now, I have to keep trying, I just need to be patient. He will return my feeling, he has to.

* * *

><p>Sting was looking out of the windows, those boring lessons of Ichiya-sensei were long forgotten. He wondered how B1 (Blue Pegasus – class number 1) could endure and worship those lessons of their home room teacher. All he talked about was fragrances, perfumes, perfumes and fragrances.<p>

He recalled the memory at noon, when he first saw _her_ after two years. His face stretched into a smile, he seemed doing that a lot today. How couldn't he? His angel had come back, he couldn't help feeling the warmth was spreading through his body just thinking about her. She was still childlike and violent but he liked that, his smile widened. _I sound like a masochist. _He laughed lightly.

He had so much to ask her anyway, like how was her life in America, was she in a relationship or not. _I hoped not._ Would she stay in Fairy Tail's dorm or stay at home, but knowing Lucy, she would probably choose the dorm. She liked being independent...

* * *

><p><strong>[Flashback]<strong>

_"Lector…Lector… where are you?" _

_The seven year-old Sting was calling, hoping that his cat would hear (and understand) him. Lector was a red hair kitten his mother had given him on his sixth birthday. He and Rogue was playing at the park near their house when they found out that Lector was missing. They split to find him and decided that whether they found him or not, they would be at home at 6 so their parent wouldn't be worried. _

_"Lector come on, we're gonna be late for dinner." _

_He kept running and searching and calling, but Lector was nowhere to be found. He headed to the river bank and decided that would be the last one. _Look like I have to ask for dad's help._ Fortunately, a glimpse of red caught his eyes when he passed the ancient sakura tree. _Lector. _He quickly ran towards the tree but suddenly halted. _A girl? _A girl, probably not older than him, was petting Lector and the kitten was purring loudly. She giggled. _

_"Lector!" - He shouted then rushed at him. He held him protectively and eyed her cautiously. _

_"How dare you kidnap my Lector?"_

_Her eyes widened then she frowned._

_"Hey, I didn't kidnap him, I found him. You lost him, didn't you? So that's your fault."_

_He blinked and looked away embarrassingly. _Oh, right...

_"Go… Gomenasai" - He mumbled and looked at her again. The girl's eyes softened. She smiled at him._

_"That's okay. You probably was just worried about him, right?" - He nodded._

_"I'm Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia… Nice to meet you." - Lucy extended her hand._

_He stared at her, she was looking at him expectantly, still waiting. He grinned and took her hand. _

_"Nice to meet you too, I'm Sting Eucliffe."_

_She giggled. _

**[End of Flash back]**

* * *

><p>That day was one of the most memorable days that he had with Lucy. <em>Our first meet. <em>It was like destiny. He, Rogue and Lucy became friends after that, she was their light and they were her shadow. Their friendship was really admirable.

Sting was so deep in thought that he didn't notice Rogue was calling him. Rogue sighed, he was tired of calling him so he decided to smack his head with a pop.

Sting scowled then looked at his friend angrily. He was having a moment with his beautiful memory then someone just had to interrupt his thought in the most rudely way.

"WHAT THE FUCK, ROGUE?" - He shouted at Rogue.

"Stop grinning like a jack-o'-lantern, Sting. You make their flesh creep." - He deadpanned and looked straight ahead again.

"Who-" - He knitted his eyebrows and was about to ask who the hell were they but stopped and froze. The whole class including Ichiya-sensei were staring at him in shock, their jaws dropped.

_Who is he? And what had he done to Sting? _They all have the same thought.

Woaaa, Sting + grinning = not good.

Sting glared at them as if saying "What the fuck are you staring at?"

They gulped and immediately went back to their previous posture, looking straight ahead.

_Yup, old Sting's still there._

Ichiya cleared his throat – "Eucliffe-san, detention after school for making noise and not concentrating on lessons."

Sting groaned then hit his head on the table, repeatedly. _Damn you, Lucy._

* * *

><p>Lucy looked at her watch and groaned. There were only 5 more minutes before she could go see Sting and Rogue, but it felt like eternity. <em>Wait, I didn't ask them where we would meet, shit. <em>She sighed.

*Rrriiiinnnngg ….. rrriiinnnggg…*

_Finally. _She quickly put her note and books in order. The whole class stood up and bowed to Yuuri-sensei then started to rush out of class. She asked Erza where was S1 (Sabertooth - class number 1), bidding her friends goodbye and running out of the door.

Rogue was making his way to Fairy Tail buildings when she saw him. She waved at him.

"Hey, Rogue!" - She hugged him again.

"I missed you, where have you been?" - She rubbed her head against his chest, oblivious to the looks people were throwing at them. Whatever, she didn't care and neither did Rogue.

He chuckled and stroked her hair - "We met 5 hours ago, you know."

She giggled and grinned - "I know." - She looked around, searching for Bee Boy. "Where is Sting?"

"He got detention for _making noise_ and _not concentrating in class._" - He said, making quotation marks with his hands, then swung an arm around her shoulder.

"Come see me practice first, I'll take you to him later."

She nodded and put an arm around his waist. They walked in the afternoon sun, humming their favorite song together.

* * *

><p>By the time they arrived there, Sabertooth team was practicing. His teammates were surprised to see Rogue with a girl. They had never seen him with a girl before.<p>

"Hey, where's Sting?" - A member from S2 asked him.

"Detention." - He answered briefly. He turned around and gave Lucy a small smile, then went to the locker room to change. He put on his usual nonchalant face and told his teammates.

"Don't get close to her or talk to her, pretending that she isn't there, just keep practicing." - He passed them, didn't even need to hear an answer. He didn't want Lucy to get in trouble with his teammates. They were Tigers and she was a Fairy after all. He had to be careful.

Lucy was sitting on the stand, watching them practiced in awe. She knew Rogue was good at sports but she had never seen him played before, basketball or not. She saw his teammates eyed her earlier when Rogue told them something. They looked kinda surprised. She wondered why. Anyway, seeing Rogue playing was really cool. She didn't like sports very much, except swimming and surfing, but she perhaps would change her mind after this. Rogue seemed very comfortable, confident and less rigid. Lucy smiled, it was good to see him like that. She hoped that she could see Sting practice too, but… oh well, maybe some other times.

* * *

><p>Rogue panted, told the team to take a break then he turned to look at Lucy and caught her smile. He smiled back and made sure that nobody saw it but her. She then stood up and ran towards him. He looked at her expectantly, clearly waiting for her opinion. He knew he was good, excellent even, he just wanted to hear it from her.<p>

Lucy knew what he wanted her to say so she giggled,… - "You suck." - …then deadpanned.

Rogue sweatdropped, it was like she just splashed a dipper of cold water into his face, he frowned. Lucy laughed at him until he got annoyed and pinched both of her cheeks to make her stop.

"C'mon, tell me what you think." - He asked and smiled in amusement at her deformed face.

"I just told you, you suck Rogue." - She continued to laughed lightly. He flicked her forehead, making her yelp.

"Liar, I know I'm good."

"Then why did you ask?" - She pouted.

A light blush crept its way to his cheeks.

"I just wanna hear it from you." - He mumbled and looked at the ground, trying not to make eyes-contact.

She raised her eyebrows in surprised and giggled. _Aww, he looks so cute._

She stood on her tip-toe and kissed his cheek.

"I was kidding. You're excellent."

His blush turned deeper and his heart fluttered. It was not like she hadn't kissed him before, she kissed him once but that was a long time ago before he hit puberty, she was the one who usually got his kisses, not the other way around and she was also the only one who could make him feel like that.

_God help me. _He coughed and cleared his throat to find his voice again, mumbling a small "Thank you".

This was definitely one of the best days of his life.

* * *

><p>After watching them play for few more minutes, she bid Rogue a goodbye then headed to the staffroom to find Sting. Rogue had offered to walk her there but she declined, telling him to continue to practice and she would see him tomorrow.<p>

_Left, right and... straight ahead. There it is. Should I knock?_ She rolled her eyes at her stupidity. _It's a staffroom, Lucy, not an office. _With that, she turned the knock quietly, hoping that Sting was alone so she could startle him but then… she froze…

**End of chapter 3**

* * *

><p>AN: _Udon_: A kind of noodle

**I hope it's not so bad. Read and review please :D, tell me what you think. AAAAnd again, I'm sorry if I make any mistakes :D Have a good night.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Prank

**Hi, it's Merikatori again :3 And thank you for reading, following, making it your favorite and reviewing. I love you guys so much :3 :3**

**I finished this chapter yesterday but took a little too long to make a few alterations. I'm still not satisfied with this chapter very much, it's kinda boring, in my opinion. I hope it's not too bad. And I'm sorry if you think that the story's progressing kinda slowly but that's how I like it.**

**Again, English is not my mother language so forgive me if I make mistakes :D :D Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 4 - Prank**

Lucy blinked a couple times, trying to figure out what was going on…

A raven hair woman was standing near Sting. She bent, obviously trying to let him take a pretty good look at her cleavage. His back faced her so she couldn't see his face, but she recognized the name tag on the woman's shirt. Lucy scowled, suddenly feeling irritated.

_A teacher? What the hell is she doing with Sting?_

_S_he leaned against the door, putting on her smiling face, crossing her legs and arms, then cleared her throat…

* * *

><p>Sting groaned the nth time of that day, annoying by the fact that he should have been at the court right now, instead of sitting here and filling paperwork. He really wanted to impress Lucy with his talent but… perhaps not today. He tore his hair out and tried hard not to rend those papers in pieces, but he suddenly stiffened when he heard someone's voice.<p>

"My, my… Sting Eucliffe, what are you doing here?"

He didn't have to turn around to see who she was. _Minerva._ His eyes narrowed, but he didn't answer. He just continued to do what he was doing.

"Now, now, don't ignore your sensei like that, Sting. Have some respect." - She said in a sing-song voice. He ignored her again, trying to calm himself down. Minerva moved to stand in front of him and smiled a seductive smile.

"Detention huh? Want some help?"

"No." - He said coldly. He really didn't know why a teacher like her could be accepted in Fiore.

_Ohh… right, I forgot, her father was Master Jiemma. _He inwardly rolled his eyes.

She chuckled at his rude word.

"Oh, don't be so cold like that, let me give you a hand to save your times then maybe… we can… have dinner together, what do you think?" - Her index finger made its way to his face and trailed down his jaw. He swatted her hand away, glaring at her.

"Not interesting, _sensei_, do you want me report you to the police for harassing your student Minerva-_sensei_?" - His voice laced with sarcasm, but she ignored it.

"Oh, Sting, what are you saying~? What wrong with a teacher caring about her student, eh? I know you like it, don't you?"

She bent down, tried to show off her cleavage but Sting seemed unaffected. His eyes focused on her face, burning a hold through her skull. He was about to tell her to fuck off, but he immediately frozen again when he heard someone cleared their throat…

Sting quickly turned around and his eyes widened. Lucy was leaning against the door, smiling but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Hi... Am I… interruptting something?" - She tilted her head, trying to look innocently, but you could see the cold furry in her eyes.

"Yes/No." - They answered at the same time and Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Minerva-sensei was just about to leave." - He quickly said before she could utter a word. Minerva frowned at him. She was having fun with her favorite student, but someone just had to show up and ruin "their moment". She eyed Lucy from head to toe. _Bitch._ She made her way to the door, decided that her chit-chat with Sting could wait for another chance.

"Tsk…" - She glared at Lucy when she passed by. Lucy's smiled dropped and she glared back, eyes narrowed and void of emotion. When Minerva had already left, she moved towards Sting who was sighing in relief.

"I didn't know you are a boy toy who likes cougar women, Sting." - She teased to lighten up the mood.

"I'm not." - He frowned at her.

"Not what I saw." - She smirked.

"Lucy…." Sting sighed and gave her a stern look.

"That's not funny you know, my mood had already been ruined, don't make it worse."

"Sorry." - She mumbled, biting her bottom lip.

His eyes softened at the sight, he gulped and turned back to his work.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" - She lifted her head, didn't expect that.

"Don't bite your lip like that, it's not good for them." - He lied, eyes focusing on the paper in his hand.

"Ohh…" - She nodded, then plopped herself down on the chair near the desk.

"So... what's going on between you and her? Minerva-sensei, I mean."

"Nothing's going on between me and her, Luce." - He said flatly - "She somehow has had a crush on me since last year. At first, I could see that she was clearly fond of me, I thought that was normal. Teachers usually have their favorite students, right?"

She nodded and kept quiet so he could continue.

"But, when school year was about to end... she started to show more obviously sign that she took interesting in me…" - He rolled his eyes - "She called me to the staff-room after school, asked me to help her, tried to seduce me, blah blah blah..." - He snorted in disgust.

"Why didn't you tell Masters?"

"I told her to stop so we both could avoid the trouble but…" - He sighed.

"... seem like your rejection didn't affect her." - She crossed her legs and finished his sentence.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to tell Master Makarov and Jiemma when they return, they are attending a meeting in Minstrel and won't return until the end of next week." - She nodded.

"So... what are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you go see Rogue practicing or something?" – Sting asked nonchalantly.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her blinked a couple of times. _She looks like a child_. He smiled inwardly.

"Oh, you don't want to see me? Okay."

She stood up and was about to leave but his hand caught her wrist.

"WAIT! That's not what I mean… I'm boring to death, so stay".

He sighed, still holding her hand. She snickered and sat down again.

"I'd already seen Rogue practicing, he's really great." - Sting felt jealous a bit, but trying to put the feeling aside, keeping his face expressionless. _Wait until you see me play. _He nodded, more at himself than her.

Looking at the pile of papers on the desk, she chuckled.

"First week of the new school year and you've already got detention? Impressive, Eucliffe." - She smiled teasingly, making him put on a scowl.

"That's not my fault, his lessons suck." - Lucy arched eyebrows.

"We're having a quality exam next week, you know. You should concentrate more on lessons even though they're boring."

Sting made a face. "So what? It's just a quality exam, it doesn't decide the result of the Autumn term's exam." - Lucy smacked his back and crossed her arms.

"Idiot, quality exam's result appraises your learning capacity. If you fail, you will have to study harder than us a couple of times to catch up with other people. It's only for 12th grade students, and those who in guilds will have to take harder exams because Masters want us both scholar and a warrior. So you have two choices: study carefully or say goodbye to your precious times, which you can use to play sports."

She wiggled her eyebrows and grinned in a pervert way. He frowned but couldn't help chuckling at her face.

"I know, but really, his lessons suck and I couldn't understand anything at all." - He grunted then stared at her.

"How about you helping me?" – He suddenly offered. She blinked, thinking for a bit then nodded.

"Okay, but... in exchange for what… I don't work for nothing, you know" - She smirked.

He stared at her for a minute then grinned, deciding to tease her. He leaned in close and she raised an eyebrow. She could feel his hot breath on her lips but she didn't back away, trying to keep her face nonchalantly although her heart's beat was increasing every second, she ignored it.

"How about a kiss?" – He whispered.

She put her index finger on her chin, pretending to think.

"Huhm… too cheap."

"…Two kisses then?" - She shook her head slowly and giggled.

"Oh? So you want more huh? Tell me what you want then, I can give you paradise you know." - He leaned in closer.

"Okay~ You can back off now, Bee Boy. I'll help you study, just treat me ice cream or something and I'm good" - She laughed lightly and pushed his face away, a slight blush crept its way to her cheeks.

He made a V mark with his forefinger and thumb, put it under his chin then smirked, you could see the sparkle all around him. - "Aww, no kiss? Are you sure? You're throwing away a golden opportunity, let me tell ya. Not many girls have that privilege, this is Sting Eucliffe we're talking about." - He said and Lucy busted out laughing, throwing her head back. Her laugh sounded like the ring of a wind chime to him.

"Thank you for your offer, but I'm good" - She snickered - "Come on, let me help you, then we can call sensei and go home, Rogue will go home first, that's for sure, he still have to cook dinner, right? " - They smiled to each other then turned to face their biggest enemy right now: paperwork.

* * *

><p><strong>[A week before present]<strong>

"How high are you?"

"56, you?"

"35."

"WTF, 101 , my parents would kill me." - It was a Saturday afternoon at Fiore Academy, but it seemed a lot more noisy than usual. Students crowded about the big score-board which was standing in the middle of the main hall. The result of the first exam of the year had been released a few minutes ago.

"99.8 points. Holy shit, are you even human?"

Lucy laughed awkwardly, nearly sweatdropped at Gray's question. After talking to her parents, Lucy was finally allowed to stay at the dorm, and being a Heartfilia herself, she had her own dorm which was arranged by her father. So here she was now, scanning the board from the top to the bottom, trying to find out how high was Sting.

#1. Lucy Love. – Fairy Tail: 99.8 points

Lucy stared blankly at her name. _Lucy Love?_ _Master took that name?_ She shook her head. That's not a very good name, in her opinion.

#2. Rogue Cheney – Sabertooth: 99.5 points

_Wow, runner-up. _She smiled. _As expected._

#4. Levi McGarden – Fairy Tail: 97.5 points

#4. Hibiki Lates – Blue Pegasus: 97.5 points

_Levi tied with a guy from Blue Pegasus? Impressive._

#6. Rufus Lore – Sabertooth: 95.0 points

#6. Jella Fernandes - Fairy Tail: 95.0 points...

…

#10. Erza Scarlet – Fairy Tail: 90.0 points

#11. Kagura Mikazuchi – Mermaid Heel: 88.0 points

#12. Beth Vanderwood – Mermaid Heel: 87.0 points

…

#68. Sting Eucliffe – Sabertooth: 68.0 points

#68. Gray Fullbuster – Fairy Tail: 68.0 points

#68. Gajeel Redfox – Fairy Tail: 68.0 points

Lucy sighed in relief. _Thank God, he didn't throw away my effort. I would have definitely killed him if he hadn't made it to the top 100. _

Top 100 was all the students who made it from 50 points and above. The rest would have to study harder and was given more homework than the others.

"Woww, look like the crown of a Tiger has been passed to a Fairy. congratulation, Lucy." - Erza nodded in approval and gave her a small smile. Rogue had the highest scores in all the exams the last and previous year, but he was defeated by Lucy this year.

Lucy smiled back. What else could she do anyway?

"You still can defeat me after two years, Luce, as always." - Lucy heard Rogue chuckled from behind her. She turned around and smiled at him sweetly.

"Hey, Rogue… Thank you, you're not so bad either. Shouldn't you stay at home and enjoy your Sunday afternoon instead of being here?"

"I want to see my result, besides no one's home anyway, father is in Bellum on an assignment and Sting…"

"… He's having a date".

Her eyebrows knitted together - "When will he be home?"

"I don't know, he's just left so probably gonna be late tonight, I guess."

Lucy's jaw dropped slightly and she shouted - "WHAT?" - She immediately covered her mouth when people turned their attention to her. She dragged Rogue far away from the crowd. Her eyes narrowed a bit, Sting had promised her that today he would take her to Rose* for ice cream and now he's having a date with another girl? She told Rogue about that, he snickered and shook his head.

"He probably forgot, just punish him or something and he'll make it up to you."

She pouted…

_Sting baka, you know I hate it when you break your promise with me. _She sighed, thinking about something then... her face suddenly lightened up, an idea flashed through her mind and she smiled impishly. Rogue saw that and his eyes widened a bit, he knew that face.

_Uh oh… Not good. _Rogue chuckled . _You'd better be prepared, Sting._

* * *

><p>Sting inwardly sighed. He looked at his watch the nth time, a clearly sign that he's boring, but the girl just kept talking, and talking, and talking.<p>

_Why the hell did I ask her out on a date anyway? _Well, it was because before Lucy came back, he'd seen the girl - _What was her name again? Yumi? Yuri ? Yui ..? Never mind_ - acting like her on a few occasions, so Sting, being Sting, flirted with her a bit then asked her out. And that... was his biggest mistake.

Because of the exam, their date was postponed until this week. He left home at 3.30 and they decided to meet at 4, but the girl kept him waiting until 5. He rolled his eyes. _Girls… _They went to watch a movie but it was so boring that he practically dozed off during the film while she kept sobbing about why the main actor broke up with his girl. _If only Lucy were here, then I could go watch some horror movie with her instead of some stupid romance, licking ice cream with her instead of sitting here, being tortured. _

"And then… when he told me to…"

He sighed and grabbed his hair.

"Okay I've had enough…" - He threw the napkin on the table - "Could you just shut up for a minute, please? My ears hurt from all your rambling. You're pretty, I can give you that. But sadly, you have no brain and your sense of humor sucks, I made a mistake by flirting with you so now, all I want is to go home, sleeping, bickering with my friend or simply doing nothing instead of being here. Maybe you'll get a boyfriend if you talks less. Thank you, and good bye".

He stood up, putting his money on the table. He didn't wait for her to utter a word, then walked out of the door and got on his ZX-14R, speeding along the street.

* * *

><p>Rogue lied on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling, a small smile lingered on his lips. After Sting forgot about his promised with Lucy, she asked him to go with her instead.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Flashback]<strong>_

_"Rogue, go have some ice cream with me, I want ice cream." - She looked at him with pleading eyes and pouted lips. He smiled then ruffed her hair. He himself didn't like ice cream but… _How could I ever say no to you?

_"Sure." _

_With that, she went to her dorm to change and came back to where Rogue was waiting for her. Hooking her arm with his and walked out of school. Rumors had spread through the school since they saw the trio more often, people kept mumbling behind their backs when they passed by, but they just ignored it._

_Lucy was wearing a pair of dark blue jean shorts, white tank top, black jacket and brown combat boots, her hair tied in a high pony tail. Rogue was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans with long-sleeved white shirt and snickers. He chuckled at her choice of clothes and knew it was her purpose. _We looked like a couple. _They thought at the same time. _

_They decided to walk so they could talk more to each other…_

_Lucy was telling Rogue a funny story happened when she was in America and he laughed lightly._

_"You seem done pretty well in America." - He said tenderly. She smiled._

_"Yeah, but… I really missed you guys. I didn't make many friends there, although I'd been there for two years. They're more acquaintances than friends." - He nodded._

_"Sooo~ Rogue, I heard that you're pretty popular with the ladies, huh? Already got someone special?" - She said in a sing-song voice. _

_He raised an eyebrow at her, smirking. He leaned close to her face and asked quietly._

_"What? Suddenly take interesting in me?"_

_She blushed slightly, clearly didn't expect his question and action. She patted his arm playfully._

_"Idiot, I'm your friend, I have the right to ask, you know" - She pouted, that made him smile._

If only you knew, Luce. _He thought. _

_"Well.. there is… a girl..." - He said slowly. -"She's really beautiful, long hair, deep eyes. She's really smart but dense at the same time." _

_"Who the hell is smart and dense at the same time?" - She asked and he snickered. _You._ He refrained himself from saying it out loud. _

_"She's very pure, innocent, but sometimes she could be really scary and evil if she wants to, she always makes me smile and… she means the world to me." - He observed her reaction out of the corner of his eyes and saw her eyes was lingering on the ground, she frowned slightly and bit her lips. He unconsciously gulp at the sight._

_"How long have you known her?"_

_"A very long time ago."_

_"Tell me more about her? What's her name? Which guild is she in?_

_"Sorry, no can do. That's my own secret."_

_"She sounds really important to you. Why didn't you ever mention her before?" - She tried to keep her voice nonchalantly, but Rogue knew her too well, he could see through her. He inwardly smiled._

_"You never asked." _

_Lucy frowned again and looked away, suddenly feeling her heart sting for no reason_. So if I hadn't asked you, you would have probably never tell me about her, huh? _She sighed softly. _

But then again… the frosty Rogue has finally found someone special. Hearing him utter those words was really amazing. Lucky girl.

_Trying to put her jealous thought aside, she kept quiet and looking straight ahead again, didn't trust her voice to say anything back. Rogue just smiled at her sulking face and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. Silence pervaded the air but neither of them minded it._

_**[End of flash back]**_

* * *

><p>After that, they went to Rose and the atmosphere turned back to normal. They talked about everything and laughed together... well… mostly Lucy, Rogue just listened, nodded or smiled, commented here and there. Her face was so lively, it made him want to smile all the time. It was really hard not to smile when he was near Lucy. He just kept replaying the scene when she laughed as he said something funny or blushed at his teasing.<p>

"And here I thought I was the only one who look creepy when I smiled like that."

His smile disappeared. Ignoring his statement, he sat up and stared at his friends with indifferent eyes.

"How was your date?"

"Worst – date – ever." - Sting groaned and plopped himself down on the couch.

"Tsk… Instead of taking Lucy to the ice cream shop like you promised, you decided to abandon her to have the "worst – date – ever"?" - Rogue said casually. Just like Lucy, he hated it when people break their promises, purposely or not. Sting's face full of confusion, he blinked a couple times. _Huh? Ice cream? Lucy? Promise? _

"HOLY SHIT!" - Sting cried out and facepalmed. _How the hell could I forget? I promised I would take her out today. _

"Oh God, she's probably sulky with me right now."

"Yeah, she cried a lot you know." - Rogue deadpanned. He wanted to laugh at Sting's horror face, but tried to restrain himself. He only said that to make Sting feel more guilty. Yeah, he was evil like that. _Well, he deserved that. _That was Rogue's punishment for him. Sting quickly pulled out his cell to called Luce, but Rogue beat him to it.

"Don't call her, she won't answer. Just wait for her to chill out first." - Sting thought for a minute then sighed, he nodded and went to the bathroom to take a shower but blinked at the sight in front of him. _Something's missing._

"Rogue, where's the mirror?"

"Then nail broke and the mirror followed its destiny. I'll buy a new one tomorrow". Rouge said loudly. Sting only shrugged.

* * *

><p><strong>[The next day]<strong>

"Shush… you….. up."

"What if…. mad?"

" …care …deserved it ….punish him… right?"

He was sleeping when he felt his face tickled. Sting heard somebodies were mumbling. A deep voice and a sweet voice, he tried to block out those voices and got back to sleep, but the tickle kept increasing. He scratched his face and opened his eyes slowly. Two figures appeared in front of him. The one with black messy hair was standing near his bed with boring face and the one with blond hair was glaring at him. He yawned, rubbing his eyes then blinked.

_Rogue and… Lucy? Lucy? What's she doing here? Wait… Lucy? - _He immediately got out of sleep.

"LUCE" - He yelled and hugged her tight - "Oh Luce, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot, please don't mad at me."

When she didn't say anything, he took a look at her and saw her face was red at a tomato and she was looking on the ground. _Oh no she's mad, oh God. _

"Luce, please don't mad at me, look at me Luce." - He pleaded and tilted her chin.

She coughed, but still refused to look at his face, then stuttered.

"Ehhhh Sting… C..could... y..you pl…please…put …o…on some…cl…cl..clothes" - She coughed and mumbled quietly. - "You're naked."

Rogue snickered, trying not to bust out laughing and Sting's eyes widened. He looked down, then shouted "SHIT", and quickly grabbed the blanket to cover his body, rushing to the bathroom. His face was all red and Lucy laughed out loud. She turned to Rogue, they shared a look and she grinned as if asking something. He smirked.

"Yeah… How long you think he will last before he find out?" - She smiled playfully.

"As long as possible, I hope." - They put on their indifferent faces again when Sting left the bathroom, he blushed slightly.

"Nice butt, Sting." - She teased and laughed at him.

"S... Shut up."

When the laughter died down, Rogue decided to leave them alone for a minute.

"I'm hungry, let go get some breakfast." - He walked out. Lucy was about to follow him, but Sting grabbed her arm, she turned to look at him quizzically and saw his eyes filled with guilty.

"Hey… I'm so sorry about yesterday Luce, I… forgot." - He mumbled the last part - "Forgive me, please?" - He coaxed. Lucy tried to keep her face coolly but his face made it impossible. She turned around and inwardly laughed, her stomach hurt from holding back. She yanked her arm away and crossed them under her chest, pretending to be mad at him.

"No." - She walked out again, but he grabbed her around the waist, putting his chin on her shoulder and held her close.

"C'mon Luce, please, please, please, don't mad at me. I'll make it up to you, 'kay?" - He said in a sing-song voice, rocking her back and forth, trying to take a look at her face from behind but she immediately turned away. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Fine... You leave me no choice then." - Lucy frowned and was about to ask what did he mean, but she was suddenly attacked by his tickle. She busted out laughing, trying to pry his hands away but to no avail. He picked her up bridal style and threw her on the bed, making her squeal, and then continued to tickle her. Tears were falling from her eyes.

"St.. stop… hahaha… Stingg… hahaha. You're... hahaha... so dead... hahahaha..." - She was yelling and laughing at the same time, Sting were straddling her to prevent her from kicking his face, he was also laughing.

"Fine.. hahaha…I … for... hahaha... give…hahaha... you" - He finally stopped when he heard that, but still laughing at her. She glared at him but he could see sparkle gleamed in her eyes, she grabbed a pillow and hit his face continuously to make him stop. He yanked the pillow away from her grasp, threw it behind and crawled near her, she punched his chest playfully but he caught her wrists. Sting kissed her forehead, making her melt and she blushed slightly. He said softly.

"I'll make it up to you this time, cross my heart." - She giggled then stuck her tongue out at him, finally gave in - "Fine, but you'd better make it worth."

He chuckled and kissed her again, this time on the cheek. _Damn it, calm down, Luce, it's just an innocent kiss._ She smiled at him.

"Thanks, now let's go, Rogue's waiting" - He dragged her out of the room, grinning like an idiot. Lucy looked at his face and laughed lightly again, she (almost) felt bad about what she and Rogue had done to his face but… _Oh well, too late. _

**End of chapter 4**

* * *

><p><em>*Quality exam actually exists in my school and like Lucy said, it's only for 12th grade because they're going to join college so they have to study harder.<em>

_*Rose Ice cream shop exists in my hometown too. Me and my friend usually hang out there._

**Bad? Good? Disappointed? Tell me what you think.**

**Have a good day/night ;) I'll see you next time.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Tell me

**Hey, it's Merikatori again :D I'm sorry for taking a little long to update again. I'm still having my Lunar New Year holiday, me and my friends just keep partying and going out and I was so tired at the end of the day to write something :( Gomenasai :(**

**Anyway, thank you all of you for reading, reviewing, made this story your favorite. You guys are the best XD XD**

**And English is not my mother language so I'm sorry for the mistakes I made.**

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail isn't mine. It belongs to Hiro Mashima and he's awesome XD**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 5 - Tell me**

**[3 days before present]**

"Aw c'mon Sting, you're still mad? It's been three days already, I thought we'd already over it." - Lucy complained.

Sting glared at her coldly but she just looked away nonchalantly.

"You embarrassed me in front of the whole town."

Lucy scoffed.

"Oh please, it was 7 in the morning. Not many people… saw… you." - She was about to laugh again but knew that it would only make the situation worse so she bit her lips to restrain herself. Sting tried to calm himself down before he rushed at her and strangled the blonde. He turned away, didn't bother to retort.

Last Sunday, when they had finished their breakfast at a small restaurant on their way to Fiore, Sting finally found out the reason why people looked at him weirdly when they passed by. And it went without saying, he felt extremely piss at Lucy that he had been mad at the blonde for three days.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Flash back]<strong>_

_"There are mirrors in the male restroom, right Rogue?" - Lucy tilted her head. Rogue chuckled, then nodded. She clasped her hands and gave him a look that said "Can we please get out of here now?" - He raised an eyebrow, but pleased her anyway. _

_Rogue put his money on the table and Lucy quickly dragged him out of there before Sting came back. He actually didn't care what Sting was gonna do when he found out, it was not like he scared of him or something. It's just... because Lucy wanted to. Yeah... he was smitten like that. If Lucy wanted something, she just needed to tell him and he would get it for her, just to please her._

This girl would be the death of me someday. _He smiled a little at that thought.  
><em>

Three… two… one…. _Lucy counted in her head when they ran out of there. _

"_LUCYYYYYYY!" Sting's screaming could be heard from mile away from the restaurant. She busted out laughing and Rogue snickered._

* * *

><p><em>He went to the restroom when they had finished their <em>Choshoku*_ and stared at the mirror with horror on his face. Black spots, blue spots, red spots were presented all over his face, there was a big "JERK" in block letters on his forehead, two circles around his eyes with line segment to make it looked like eyelashes, hearts shapes on either his cheek, weird moustache and some other shapes that he couldn't understand. _

_Eyes still widened, he used his index finger to wipe his face, his mouth was now equal the size of a saucer. _Biro ink? _Yeah, that's why it didn't fade when he just washed his face cursorily this morning... without looking at the mirror, courtesy from Rogue. Someone on the street or in the restaurant would have told him if they hadn't see Lucy put her index finger on her lips and smiled allusively._

_Images and memories flashed through his mind, the mirror, Lucy's on his bed, Rogue, those stares and snickers he received from the waitresses and customers… He went pale and screamed her name. Sting quickly slammed the door open, people turned their attention to him and snickered or giggled again, but he ignored them. His eyes searching for two devils, but they're nowhere to be found. He rushed out of the restaurant and ran after Lucy. _

Oh you don't know what you've just got yourself into, _my dear Luce._

_"LUCY GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BRAT. STOP HER ROGUE!" - He yelled, then accelerated. He perhaps could beat Usain Bolt at that very moment. _

_Lucy let go of Rogue arm when she realized Sting was only after her and turned around the corner, rushing along the street. She headed to the riverside, laughing all the way there. _

Big mistake Luce. Revenge will be mine. _Sting thought and grinned deviously, he was faster than her that was for sure. He extended his arm to grab her collar but she suddenly stooped down to avoid his grasp._

Sorry but I know you too well.

_His arm swung to the left and grabbed her waist. _

_"Nice try, nerd. But you're not going anywhere." - He swung her over his shoulder, making her squeak but she was still laughing._

_"Put me down Sting, I'm wearing a skirt." - She yelled and punched his back. It didn't hurt one bit, more like someone was scratching his back._

_"Sorry, don't care." - He snickered and walked to the riverside. She immediately got what he's planning and her laugh died down. He halted at the end of the plank that jutted out from the bank. She gulped and said quietly._

_"Sting, put me down, now. Sting, don't you dare…" - Her threat was cut off when she fell flop into the river. _

_Lucy resurfaced and gasped. She stared at Sting, he was laughing like crazy and a vein popped on her forehead._

_"IT'S FUCKING COLD DOWN HERE, YOU ASS!" _- _She screamed at him._

_"Yeah, serves you right." – Sting said loudly then got back to laugh. - "Hey Luce, what's ya doing down there? Looking for some fellow-fishes." _

_"Yeah right, at least I'm not the one who wore a dirty face with ink and paraded the town." - He shut up immediately and she smirked. She got out of the water and moved to stand in front of him, they were having a glaring contest when Rogue showed up and cleared his throat._

_"Have you two idiots done glaring at each other, I wanna go home." - Lucy stuck her tongue out at Sting and followed Rogue, holding her head high._

_He glared at her back but soon followed, didn't bother to wash his face first._

_**[End of Flash back]**_

* * *

><p>Sting (almost) hadn't talked to her for three days. Although he was the person at fault at first, but she didn't have to embarrass him in front of so many people like that. His pride was seriously injured by her and before he was over it, he (almost) wouldn't talk to her. At first, Lucy didn't bother to apologize, saying that he deserved it for breaking his promise, but it had been three days already and he still ignored her. He didn't react to her tease and only sometimes answered her questions curtly.<p>

Lucy, Rogue were sitting on the rooftop on lunch break while Sting was leaning against the rail, looking down the school yard, his face void of any emotion. Rogue was eating his bento slowly, he contributed to Lucy's prank too, but Sting seemed only irritated at her. It was because Sting knew once Lucy wanted something, Rogue could never say no to her, so... that made him guiltless. Rogue didn't bother to interfere their tension, he just let them resolve it themselves. That's what friends do, they argue then make up then argue and make up again. Simple.

Lucy stared at Sting, her lips pouted. She was getting really nervous and uncomfortable, a little bit guilty. _Maybe I overdid it, he had promised he would make it up to me after all. He had never mad at me beyond half a day before. I never thought it would turn out this bad. _

"Sting I'm sorry, okay? It's just for a little fun, you don't have to over-react like that." - Well... Sting didn't budge a muscle. Lucy sighed.

"Fine, just keep sulking like a baby and see if I care, idiot Sting."

She turned around and walked away. She lied. Lucy actually cared, but Sting wouldn't accept her apology like that so she would have to wait then do that again.

Rogue glanced at her for a moment then turned back to look at Sting.

"It's just a prank Sting, you don't have to be so harsh like that." - Sting glanced at him.

"I know, I don't take offense because of that, she did it all the time when we were kids."

Rogue quirked an eyebrow.

"I just want her to apologize appropriately, she can't get away with everything all the time just because we indulge her too much."

Lucy was not a spoiled princess even though she came from Heartfilia family, but when they were kids, she played pranks on them all the time, mostly on Sting and usually got away with it, because she had the magical puppy dog eyes and cute pouted lips. Sting couldn't be mad at her more than a day when she just kept following him around and courting fondling from him. But things were different now, they'd grown up, she had to aware that sometimes her pranks could hurt people physically... or mentally. What if the person she played her prank on was not Sting but was someone who was easily got wounded, that was what Sting thought or… convinced himself to think so.

"I still didn't see any different, she played a prank on you, so what? She did that to someone she was close, not everyone. You're still mad at her just because it's been 3 days, but every morning when you walked to school, people just kept snickering or grinning at you when you passed by, that made you feel embarrassing to no end, the high and mighty Sting can't accept that. So in short, that's just your excuses."

Sting sweatdropped and glared at his friend. He's about to retort back but Rogue gave him a I-know-you-too-well look, making him speechless. He grunted and looked away then mumbled.

"Whatever."

* * *

><p>Lucy stormed off the rooftop and headed back to her class. She hated it when people was mad at her. <em>He didn't make that big deal when we were kids. <em>She grumbled. Lucy was busy glaring at the ground that she didn't pay attention to where she was going till she bumped into someone. It was a girl.

"I'm so sorry, are you okay?" - She quickly said then bent down to help the girl to pick up her book.

"That's okay, I didn't pay attention either." - Yukino answered then looked at the girl. _That… girl._ She recognized the blonde immediately, how could she forget. She was thinking about how she could get closer to Sting when she collided with someone. Maybe that was her chance to find out more about Sting as well as this girl. Rogue told her that she was their childhood friend, but she wanted more information than that.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Flashback]<strong>_

_It was a windy afternoon when Yukino went to the grocery store to buy some vegetable when she ran into Rogue. He was picking out some cereals, she looked around to find someone but didn't see Sting anywhere. _That's good.

_She immediately approached him to say hi._

_"Hey Rogue, I didn't expect to see you here, what are you doing?" - She smiled and tried to start a casual conversation, but Rogue could actually "smell" her nervous from miles away._

_"What do you want?" - He said tersely, didn't bother to answer her question. He didn't even look at her when he'd already recognized her voice._

Why did he have to be so rude all the time like that? He looked different when I saw him with that girl. _She frowned slightly but smiled again._

_"Nothing, I just want to say hi." - She laughed nervously. _

_Rogue still didn't look at her, he picked 2 box of cereals, putting it in his handcart then walked away. Yukino soon followed him._

_"Every time you approach me and start a conversation, it is your way to start your questions about my friend, so stop beating around the bush and come to the point." - Rogue deadpanned._

_He made her gulp nervously, but he'd already known her purpose so no need to be wordy._

_"Right. Sooo… Can I ask you something about… the girl who…"_

_"Blondie?" - Rogue didn't wait for her to finish._

_"Ye…yeah" - She stuttered. Rogue glanced at her. _

_"Seems like you guys are really close. I've never seen her before, is she the new student?"_

_"Yes, she's our childhood friend, she'd moved to America for 2 years but came back a few weeks ago. We've known one another for almost 10 years."_

_Yukino nodded, her mouth made an O shape. _So she's not Sting's girlfriend.

_"So…uhm… Does Sting... have any... special relationship with her or something... " - That… was her delicate way to ask him "Does Sting like her?" - Rogue inwardly scoffed. He raised an eyebrow at her._

_"What kind of question is that? I just said she's our childhood friend, his childhood friend and as far as I can see, you and the whole school have already known how close they are, isn't that enough special for you?" - Yukino gulped and looked at the ground._

_"That's not what I mean." - She frowned. _

_"I know what you mean, but let me tell you something, that's Sting's business, not mine. Don't take me for a gossiper and come ask me anything just because you want to. Go ask him yourself or just see for yourself." - He paid the bill then walked away, leaving her speechless. She groaned then mumbled._

_"I just asked you a question, you don't have to be so rude like that."_

_**[End of flashback]**_

* * *

><p>She put on her best smile then extended her hand at Lucy.<p>

"Hi, I'm Yukino Aguria from S1, nice to meet you, you're the new student right?"

Lucy smiled back at her.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Lucy Hea… I mean Lucy Love, from F1."

Yukino's eyes widened. _Lucy Love, the first–rate student since the quality exam. A… Fairy. Yeah right, like the badge on her sweater wasn't obviously enough for you, Yuki._

Lucy looked at her quizzically.

"Yukino, are you alright?" - She said.

"Yeah… I'm... I'm fine." - Yukino snapped out of her thought, she smiled.

"I'm just a little surprise, your marks in quality exam was really impressive." - Lucy laughed lightly and scratched her head - "Thanks."

"So… you're childhood friend of Rogue and Sting? I've seen you guys quite frequently."

"Yeah, how do you know? Oh, you're from their class, right?" - Yukino nodded then answered her.

"Rogue told me so. Although… he was… kinda harsh when I asked him." - She mumbled.

Lucy stared at her. _Harsh? Rogue? Huhmm… Yeah …He could be really harsh and rude sometimes, it's been a long time since I last saw him like that._

To her, Rogue was always tender and sweet, he never said something bad to her or spoke loudly to her.

"Well, he's like that to everyone but he's really nice and sweet when you get to know him." - Lucy smiled while Yukino made a face.

"I never really thought "Rogue", "nice" and "sweet" could be in the same sentence."

That made Lucy giggled - "No, I mean it, he's really nice, just try to get to know him."

Yukino just nodded. _Not when he doesn't like it. _She thought, she was about to ask Lucy about Sting and her, but was cut off by the bell.

"Well, nice to meet you, it's like chit-chat has to wait for another time." - She waved at Lucy and walked back to her class. Lucy waved back and smiled.

_She's really nice, I have to tell Erza and Gray about her, not everyone in Sabertooth are bad or dangerous like they said. _

Yes, she had heard that Sabertooth and Fairy Tail were some kind of rivals, some of her friends also said that she shouldn't be friend with Sting and Rogue. Lucy told them that they're her childhood friends and she found that the reason why a Fairy and a Tiger couldn't be friends was totally stupid. She shook her head slightly then got back to her classroom.

* * *

><p><strong>[After class]<strong>

"Don't you think Tenrou Island is a little small for Fiore Academy to have an extracurricular trip?" - Gray asked, his arms behind his head.

Gildart sensei had announced that senior high schoolers of Fiore would have a periodic extracurricular trip to Tenrou Island, Shiren Island and Mcgore Island, and everybody was really excited about this.

"Were you even listening to him? Not the whole Fiore will be there, we'll split up. Fairy Tail and Sabertooth will go to Tenrou while Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel will go to Shiren, and regular students will be at Mcgore" - Lucy said and Erza nodded in approval.

The sun was setting down, people had already gone home or to their dorms, and because they were on duty so the three of them were the only ones left on the campus… or so they thought.

"Hey is that Rogue?" - Gray squinted at a boy with raven hair and…- "A girl?" - Lucy knitted her eyebrows to take a better look.

"Yeah, it's Rogue, what's he doing?" - She asked, more to herself than her friends.

"You wanna talk to him or let him be?" - Erza looked at Lucy, she thought for a moment then nodded.

"You guys go first, I'll see you tomorrow." - She smiled

"Okay, bye, be careful." - She waved to her friends and they nodded back.

She ran up to Rogue, but halted when she realized the girl was crying. _Rogue is making a girl cry? _

"What the…?" - Her eyes widened, still trying to figure out what was happening when Rogue caught her eyes. He immediately walked pass the girl, not even spared her another glance, and moved toward Lucy, dragging her away. Lucy looked back at the girl and blinked at him, then frowned.

"Rogue? What did you do? Why is she crying?" - She looked back at the girl again, she didn't like seeing other people cry. Rogue let go of her arm to hold her wrist, not answering her question.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home an hour ago? - He asked back

"I stay at the dorm, you know. Rogue, answer me, what did you do?" - She glared at him, but he ignored it again.

"I didn't do anything, I just sent her Sting's message."

Lucy's face scrunched in confusion.

"What message?"

"Sting doesn't want to date her anymore."

"WHAT?" - Her jaw dropped.

"He doesn't want to date her anymore so he told you to send her a message? What are you? His hireling or something?" - She frowned harder.

"Something like that." - He deadpanned

Lucy sweatdropped then facepalmed.

"Why didn't he do it by himself?"

"He didn't like seeing girls cry so we made a deal. I'll tell them what he wanted me to tell them, and he'll do all the household choir for 2 days straight, even cooking." - Lucy stared at him blankly, then sighed and shook her head at him in disapproval.

"Well at least you should have comforted her a little bit, not just walked away coldly like that. I didn't hear your conversation with her, but I could guess that your emotionless face when you told her that you have a message from Sting, was enough to make her cry endlessly."

Rogue wanted to chuckle at that, but he knew Lucy was serious so he only shrugged.

Lucy waited for him to respond but didn't get any. She wondered how many girls had got broken hearts because of Sting. She suddenly felt…afraid. She didn't know why but that info gave her an insecure feeling. She didn't like that feeling, not–one–bit. And in the wink of an eye, she swore that she saw herself standing in front of Rogue, hearing him saying that she was out of Sting's interesting list. Lucy inwardly slapped her face.

_What the hell was I thinking? We're friends, best friends, childhood friends, he would never do that to me... would he?_

She shook her head to clear her thought, then looked back at Rogue and raised an eyebrow.

"You should stop doing that for him, you know. That's his own mess and he should resolve it himself, he still have to study, so stop that deal."

Rogue looked at her and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it immediately. He looked back at the street, thinking about something then nodded.

* * *

><p><strong>[Present]<strong>

Lucy walked across the school yard, deep in thought. Erza was saying something to Gray and he shriveled up in fear, Levi and Gajeel had joint them a moment ago, they were laughing with each other. Lucy didn't hear anything, just staring into space like that but then caught a glimpse of brown.

_She's still crying. _

The girl she comforted on the rooftop was still crying, she sat under the sakura tree – Lucy's favorite place, her friends surrounded her and when they spotted Lucy, they glared at her fiercely. Lucy just looked at the girl with her soft eyes. They had every right to be mad at her. She was Sting's best friend and the one who indirectly broke their friend's heart.

Yes, people had already known that she's Sting childhood friend (along with Rogue). She didn't know how, last day they were mumbling to one another about something sounded like love triangle, love potion, arranged marry, slut, pregnant …etc … And the moments later, they looked at them with admirable eyes and mumbling something about best friend forever, eternally friendship…etc.

_Whatever._ She inwardly rolled her eyes.

A few days ago, she told Rogue to stop doing that (broke up with those girl on behalf of Sting), and he should have told them himself. But she didn't expect that she was the one who replaced Rogue, breaking girls' hearts because of Sting.

Sting was still mad at her back then so he wanted her to make it up to him by doing Rogue's job when Rogue listened to her advice (more like command). She didn't want to do that and said that she didn't care whether he's still mad at her or not, but… agreed gradually because she wanted to be there to comfort those girls, she felt sorry for them when they decided to involve their love lifes with Sting. And Rogue's expressionless face as well as Sting's caddish face would make the situation only worse.

At first, she didn't think much about that, she knew that it was only natural when people cried or hurt because their relationship didn't work out. People dated then broke up, dated then broke up and the circle would never end until they found their true soul-mate, not that everyone could find their true love at their first try. When this door led to happiness was closed... you would just have to find another one.

_But that was when they were truly in a relationship, when two people actually love each other. The girls? They maybe love him, like him, whatever but... Sting? Absolutely not. _That was so wrong in Lucy's opinion.

_He's never cared about girls before. I saw them fancied him in junior high school, but he didn't care and he didn't date them just to broke up with them a few days later. _

Lucy was more mature than she looked, she understood how hurt it was to have a broken heart, not that she got one before. Sting and Rogue were very protective of her (not including Erza and Gray) and if they didn't approve any of those guys that she mentioned, those guys would never got a chance with her (and vice versa).

_Anyway, perhaps I should talk to him about this. _

* * *

><p><strong>[Later, at Sting's house]<strong>

"Lucy? Is something wrong? You're quiet than usual." – Rogue asked, he stroked her cheek tenderly with the back of his hand.

She had sent them a message that she wanted to have dinner at their house so here they were, sitting on the same table, same room, same house, and having the same dinner, but Rogue could feel that she had something else on her mind. Both Sting and her were. She smiled at him a little and shook her head.

"I'm fine Rogue, just thinking." - She glanced at Sting and Rogue caught that. Sting was busy eating like a pig to even notice her and Rogue, but Rogue could see through him. His mind was somewhere else too. He wouldn't let Lucy out of his sight when she was around, and the fact that he didn't notice Lucy's thoughtless look or her unusual quiet proved that he was also having some mentally trouble.

"I'll go buy some tea, you guys go eat first." - He patted Lucy's head and left. Lucy knew that was his way to let her have some private moment with Sting and she appreciated that. Rogue always knew what she wanted and needed. _Not like someone else. _She inwardly scoffed.

She started when she heard Rogue closed the door.

"You should stop doing that Sting." - Lucy said quietly, she knew that he knew what exactly she was talking about.

"You never had the problem with me eating like this before." - Sting said innocently.

Yes, he knew that she was mad at him because he made her his rescuer when he needed to break up with some girls. Sting dated… a bunch of girls at a same time so when he told her to send his messages to those girls, it was actually too many that Lucy thought that she'd done this a hundred times before. She glared at him, but he didn't look at her in the eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me, you know that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then what? What are you talking about? I don't know what's you're talking about." - Sting continued to beat around the bush, he didn't know why but he got a bad feeling about this conversation. Lucy bid her bottom lips and narrowed her eyes, she clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to calm down.

"I'm talking about those girls whom you just kept breaking up with after a few dates." - She gritted her teeth.

"It's funny when you said that because you're the one who told them so..."

He chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood but to no avail, that… actually made the situation worse. Lucy was serious but his unconcerned attitude was getting on her nerves. Lucy slammed her hand down on the table and glared at him. Sting shut up immediately, but gave her an uninteresting look.

"You think this is funny? What are trying to prove, Sting? That's you're the biggest playboy in Fiore, and you can have every the single girl that you want, whenever and wherever you are because nobody can resist your charm? Toying with other people's feeling is not something that you should be proud of."

Sting didn't answer that and they were having a staring contest. He was being torn between keep his mouth shut and tell her why he just kept dating then breaking up. He said firmly but kept his eyes contact with her.

"I am not the one who proud of something like that, Lucy." - His jaw clenched.

"Do I really look like some kind of scum, jerk or asshole, whatever the hell it is to you that you must think of me like that." - He gave Lucy a stern look but she didn't back off.

"You look at those girls, all tears and sobbing and whining then you jumped to the conclusion that I was a jerk, I thought you know me better than that."

Lucy dragged a half–smile out of her lips, her tone full of sarcasm - "Well then, please, enlighten me, Sting Eucliffe."

He sighed, maybe it wouldn't hurt if he just gave her a little info, so he took a deep breath.

"The reason why I just kept dating and breaking up with them is because…. I'm trying to find the one... who could make me feel the same way as… she… makes… me…feel." - He hesitated, Lucy was a smart girl, that's why he didn't want to tell her. She could put two with two then his feeling could be exposed sooner or later.

Lucy didn't say anything. She unconsciously gulped, her lips parted and her eyes darkened, she looked at the ground. _That means… _

Out of the corner of his eyes, Sting noticed her reaction and he was panicking inside, but tried to keep calm outside.

"So… That's because of one girl?" - Her voice barely audible. - "Who?" - She looked back at him, keeping her face emotionless.

Sting inwardly sighed in relief. In a moment he thought that she had found out something, he said nonchalantly.

"I can't tell you." - Lucy frowned.

"Why?"

"I just can't."

He looked away. Sting tried to ignored her dead glare, if look could kill then he would be playing with crickets in a hole right that moment.

Lucy thought for a moment then realization hit her, her eyes widened.

"She rejected you?"

Now that was his eyes turn to widened. He made a face, but she ignored it.

"Wow, now I really must know what her name is, there is someone in Fiore actually could say no to you when you're the one who make a move?" - She smacked her tongue and shook her head - "Impressive" - She mocked.

Sting put on a scowl and gritted his teeth.

"She did not reject me. She actually doesn't know about my feeling, okay?"

She frowned again. - "Why?" - The Sting she knew would make a move when he really liked something.

"Because…" - He sighed again and grabbed his hair - "…I'm not good enough for her." - He threw his hands in the air and leaned back against the chair - "She deserved someone better than me, I'm not pure like her, I'm not innocent like her, I'll taint her with my sin if we-"

"What sin?" - Lucy cut him short when she heard that word. The word 'sin' was something really serious and could not be taken lightly. Sting could commit a sin and she didn't know about that?

"What sin?"

She was getting more and more irritated by the second. She had ton of questions in her mind and no answers Sting gave her could have satisfied her so far.

"Sting, what sin?" - She asked again the third time, more determined when he didn't answer and just looked away.

"I can't tell you that."

"We're friends Sting, we promised that there is no secret between us, remember? Tell me Sting." She said calmly but there was a storm inside of her right now.

"I-can't-tell-you." - Sting gritted his teeth, didn't Lucy ever learn to give it up?

That was the last straw... for both of them

"ANSWER ME STING, WHAT SIN?" - She yelled at him.

He slammed his hands down on the table, standing up and shouting back - "THAT'S NOT YOUR BUSINESS. THAT HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO AND YOU _DO NOT_ NEED TO KNOW THAT. EVEN FRIENDS HAVE BOUNDARIES AND WHEN I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THEN I WON'T, ADAPT IT. KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF MY BUSINESS, HEARTFILIA."

Her eyes widened and she was speechless, she was not the only one who was aggravating. _Did he… really just say that? _She stared at him blankly, didn't know how to respond, his back was facing her. She closed her mouth and took a deep breath. She then nodded and said quietly, her voice broken.

"You're right, that's your business and I have no right to ask. Even best friends, childhood friends or whatever the fuck we are, still have boundaries. Sorry if I unintentionally crossed that line just because I care about you."

Sting turned around to look at her and regretted it immediately, her eyes were glistening with water, her cheeks were red and her fists were clenched, he shut his eyes. It pained him to see her like that and it pained him more because he was the reason why she looked like that.

"Luce… I…" - He moved to hug her but she quickly grabbed her jacket and ran out of the door, Sting ran after her but was greeted by Rogue's arm.

"Stay, I'll go after her." - Rogue didn't wait for him to respond and just liked a flash, he rushed along, trying to catch up with Lucy. Sting torn his hair and punched the wall repeatedly.

"DAMN IT".

**End of chapter 5**

* * *

><p><em>Choshoku is the usual breakfast in Japan, including rice, raw chicken egg or toss in seaweed Nori and Miso soup.<em>

_Shiren, Mcgore: Yeah I made that up :D :D_

**I want to revolve their problem in one chapter but it's actually kinda long already (_._!) These new chapters just getting longer and longer :D**

**I hoped it's good enough :D Read and review please, tell me what you think :D**

**And thank you again XD Have a good night/day XD I'll see you soon.**


	6. Chapter 6 - That's why I love you

**Hey, good to see you guys again. Pretty fast huh XD That's when I don't have a writer-block, ideas and images were running like crazy through my head and I couldn't stop until I finished it :D**

**First of all, thank you for reading, following and making this your favorite story.**

**And special thanks to Sakamaki Hikaru** (chap 1 & 3), **Twerking Pandah** (chap 3), **Zin-chan-luvs-you** (chap 3), **AnimexXxluvver** (chap 3 &5), **SimplyIsabelleS** (chap 4 and 5/ AN: Yeah I agreed with you =]]), **Slenderkatt** (chap 4), **Lucy Queen of the Stars** (chap 1 and 5), **Shar2242** (chap 2 and 5)** for reviewing :D **

**I felt kinda uneasy when I didn't thank you all personally :D And especially thanks to Psyka, thank you for reviewing all of my chapters so far :3  
><strong>

**In the last chapter, I found out some grammar errors and a gap. The scene when Lucy saw Rogue talked to a girl and he later asked her "Should you be at home an hour ago?" and dragged her to the gate, I forgot that Lucy stayed at the dorm. I fixed it and so sorry for the mistakes :( **

**Anyway, about this chapter, nothing much, just something fluffy, I'm not very good with fluffy or romantic so I hope it won't turn out suck to you guys :D**

**English is not my mother language so I'm sorry for the mistakes I made (again), I'll try fix it if I find them when I re-read. **

**The song I used in this chapter was Best In Me by Blue (just two sentences). Such a heart-warming song, I listened to it when I wrote the end of this chapter :D :D It was really inspiring.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. (or DeathNote)**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 6 - That's why I love you  
><strong>

"LUCY... LUCY... WAIT!" - Rogue shouted to make Lucy stop, but she didn't hear him. He ran up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Lucy, wait... Lucy, I'm sorry. Sting was just angry, he didn't mean it like that, you know." - Lucy's face was all red and traces of tears flew down her cheeks. She yanked her arm away from his grasp and turned her back to him. She mumbled between her sob.

"I don't need you to apologize to me on his behalf."

"Lucy..." - He moved closer to her.

Lucy stood motionless for a minute, then narrowed her eyes at him. Rogue blinked in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't know you have the habit to eavesdrop on people's conversation, Rogue."

He chuckled, then pulled out his handkerchief to clean her face.

"I didn't, you guys talked too loud and your voices were in my hearing range."

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"How much did you hear?"

"Everything."

"So you lied about going out to buy something?"

"Yeah, but you'd already known that."

Lucy shook her head.

"Real smooth, huh?"

"That's a gift." - He smirked and she snickered.

Rogue was not the one who usually eavesdropped on people conversation, but he made an exception when it involved Lucy or Sting, he had his own reasons anyway. He smiled at her softly.

"You know Sting, right? He's an idiot and idiots speak before they think."

He stroked one of her cheeks then pinched it, making her pout at him. It's not like she didn't know that, people always thought that he was cool and calm but the truth was exact opposite, he was really bad–temper. It was just, hearing him saying those words was really heart–broken, he talked to her like she was some strangers and he had never been furious at her like that before. Guess that she was a bit shock.

"You know what he was talking about, right? Some… sin?"

Rogue nodded. Lucy looked at the ground, her bang hid her eyes. _Rogue knows about that too? How serious was it that they both know and don't want to tell me about it? _Rogue just stared at her, he didn't know what he should say to her and she seemed like was having a soliloquy, he wondered what was she thinking.

"Lucy…" - He spoke softly to attract her attention, she lifted her head to look at him with her big eyes, and he had to look away after a moment or else he would have been drown in those chocolate-brown orbs – a sweet death might he add.

"…I really want to tell you what happened because I know that you're the only one who could help him, but... I can't, Sting has to tell you by himself. It's really important to Sting and he couldn't just easily spit it out like that. Give him sometimes. " - He said gently.

She sniffed then wiped her nose with her index finger like a three year-old kid. Rogue smiled.

_I guess he's right, Rogue always know what I should do. _She sometimes sought advice from Rogue when she was a kid and in trouble. He would always know what she should do and shouldn't do, that's why she lov- *cough* trusted him.

_Maybe I was a little bit nosy and crossed the line. Does he mad at me? Probably. _She gulped and whispered.

"Rogue, should I go back and apologize to him now, or should I wait for him to calm down?" - She didn't want Sting to be enraged with her.

_Should she? _Rogue smiled again, then thought for a minute. That perhaps was both their fault, one was too impatient to wait for a proper answer while one was too hot–tempered and too stupid to have an appropriate explanation. Maybe he should punish them both. _Huhmm… no, maybe just Sting, he made her cry after all._ That was on the top of Rogue's black list (and like he had the gut to punish her).

"You know what? Just ignored him for a few days, he's probably livid at you... no, no, no… don't cry, don't cry." - He coaxed when he saw her eyes were full of tears again.

"It's my fault." - She whined and began to cry loudly. People who passed by the couple just shook their head at him in disapproval, or gave him disappointing look. That, however, didn't embarrass him at all. He laughed lightly and hugged her, patting her head.

"C'mon, you're making me look bad you know."

"Like you care about it." - He heard her muttered between her sob and he chuckled. _True. _

"Let me talk to him. I'll tell you when it's safe to talk to him. He just need some time to chill out, everything will be fine, I promise." - He kissed her hair and wiped her face again but her tears wouldn't stop.

"You're ugly when you cry, so stop it." - She pouted and punched his chest playfully, making him snicker. He lied, she looked beautiful with whatever expression she had, but he didn't want to see her like that. He wanted to see her smile, she was more beautiful when she smiled.

"Nobody looks beautiful when they cry, you idiot." - She frowned, trying to look like she was angry, but her eyes betrayed her face. She gave him a squeeze of the hand and smiled sweetly at him. Her smile made his heart flipped in the air.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome" - He smiled back. - "Now let's go, I'll get to back to your dorm."

And with that, they walked back to Fiore Academy in the light of street's lamps and buildings, hand in hand.

* * *

><p>Sting's eyes snapped open when he heard Rogue's step. He got up from the couch and gulped.<p>

"How was she? Was she mad at me?"

Rogue stared at him and raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that said "Did you just really ask that?"

"Of course she wasn't mad at you, not–one–bit." - He mocked and plopped himself on the opposite couch.

"Your sense of humor sucks." - He mumbled, looking at the ground guiltily. _Look like it would take a lot of ice-cream this time._

Rogue cleared his throat. _Show time. _And he started his punishment.

"She cried a lot, you know."

True.

Sting shut his eyes.

"Sobbing"

True.

He gulped.

"Whining"

Also true.

He frowned. The image brought aching to his heart.

"She said her heart was broken because of your words." - Rogue poured himself a cup of tea and took a look at Sting's miserable face.

_I know. _Sting thought.

"She couldn't believe someone she's really care about could say something like that to her." - Rogue continued, every sentence he said was like rock that weighted down on Sting's shoulders.

"She said that she didn't wanna talk to you."

Well, that was not true, but surely Sting didn't need to know that.

His eyes widened, fear crept through his heart.

_She… doesn't wanna talk to me? _

"For the rest of her life." - Rogue deadpanned than lied down on the couch with a thud.

Sting started to breathe rapidly. _Okay, calm down, calm down. She didn't mean that. She just said that because she's angry. Rogue might have defended me... Right? _He looked back at Rogue and hesitated.

"Wha-what did…you say?" - He hoped that Rogue had at least defended him.

Rogue was quiet for a minute and Sting felt like he was waiting to see whether the Death Note had his name in it or not.

"I said 'yeah, he was a jerk and he deserved it … blah blah blah', I kissed her good night and walked her back to her dorm." - He closed his eyes and said in one breath.

Sting's jaw dropped and he cried out loud.

"YOU WHAT?" - He couldn't believe it his best friend could treat him like that.

"You actually said that ? What the hell was wrong with you? Was you even my friend? You could have at least apologized to her for me." - He grabbed his hair and groaned. Rogue just shrugged.

"It's your fault for being stupid. And why should I do that for you? _You _should be the one who apologize to her, not me."

_Is it me or Rogue has just decided to become stupid?_

"Well… it's true, but you could have at least calm her down a little bit before I give her an appropriate apology." - He grunted and glared at him.

Rogue was quiet again, pretending like he was thinking about something then nodded.

"Huhmm…Yeah, should have thought about it sooner." *sweatdrop*

"Why the hell did you tell me to stay at home and came after her when you could do something like that to me?" - Sting gritted his teeth.

"Because I wanted to make you life more miserable?" - That's a statement. Rogue smirked.

Sting sweatdropped and facepalmed again._ Rogue, you asshole. Okay, everything's gonna be alright. I'm gonna fix it. _

Rogue peeked through one eye, looking at his friend who was pacing back and forth, mouthing something to himself. His lips' corner turned up. _Serves you right. _

* * *

><p><strong>[A few days later]<strong>

Sting was leaning against the wall of F1 class. He waited patiently for the school bell to ring so he could see Lucy. She had avoided him for almost haft a week, and he would practically go crazy if he didn't meet her in… 5 more minutes. He wanted to send her a message but he couldn't find his phone anywhere, he doubted Rogue had something to do with it because Rogue wouldn't lend him his, telling him to find his cell phone by himself.

He looked at his watch then sighed again. His reputation would be ruined if they knew he as far as came to Fairy Tail – Sabertooth's biggest rival to apologize to a girl.

_Screw them, why do I even care? I hurt her and now I have to fix it. _

He had let the anger take the better of him, she just cared about him and wanted to know what happened. He perhaps was annoying by her interrogation, but that didn't mean he had to utter those painful words to her like that. He thought that she would chill out soon, and he could meet her and talk to her. But apparently he couldn't even see her to say that. He couldn't be alone with her for a minute without her friends blocking his way and glaring deadly at him.

_Those stupid Fairies (sorry Luce). _

But, the worst part about all this stuff was: She ignored him and avoided him, but still texting with Rogue. _That frosty bastard. _He thought annoyingly, yes he was jealous a little bit, just… a little… okay, a lot. Rogue didn't do anything to help him but kept making his life more miserable by mentioning how she had cried and got a broken-heart, her face looked painful... etc…, and chose to reply her messages every time Sting was around.

The guilty feeling kept crushing his heart until he couldn't take it anymore, so he skipped class to wait for her in front of her class. She wouldn't leave this class if she didn't talk to him, and that was final.

*Rrrrriiiiinnnng… Rrriiinnngggg* _Finally. _

He exhaled then held himself erect. The classroom door opened, Fairies started to leave. Sting hid behind a corner and looked for Lucy so not many Fairies would notice him. He started to walk in to find her when he didn't see her coming out, but halted when he saw a guy with black hair and… shirtless, standing in front of him. Gray narrowed his eyes and Sting did the same thing.

"Look who's here… Sting Eucliffe, what are you doing here? Looking for some fights?" - He said, crossing his arms.

Neither of them moved or spoke for a minute, Sting just smirked.

"You know stripper, if today was just like any other day, I would have beaten your shitty face into a pulp. But sorry, I have something more important to do right now." - He looked over Gray's shoulder, finding Lucy, a blue hair girl, and a red hair girl were talking to their teacher. They surrounded his table, their backs facing him. He looked back at Gray and saw him raised an eyebrow.

"Sting Eucliffe has something better to do than fight? Woaaa, the sun must have risen at the West." - Gray mocked.

He didn't hate the guy but he didn't like him either, not just because he was from Sabertooth, what happened in the past between_ Pinky_ and him but also because... he was Lucy's childhood friend. Okay, that sounded pretty stupid but he couldn't help it.

"Whatever, out of my way." – Sting glared at him but Gray just glared back. He moved forward and closed the door, blocking them out of his teacher and friends' sight.

"I don't think so, _you _made _her _cry. Therefore, I won't allow you to come near her when I'm around." - Yes, he knew what happened between them, she told them the night when she came back from Sting's house. Another stupid reason, but... again he couldn't help it.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flashback]<strong>

_He, Erza, Levi and Gajeel decided to go back to Lucy's room so they could chit-chat, or played something fun together after they had dinner at the canteen, but Lucy was not there yet so they waited. Lucy came back in about 20 minutes and she almost jumped out of her skin when she saw them._

_"Geeze, you guys scared me to death, I thought some pervert burglars broke into my room to steal my underwear." - She joked, but they didn't budge a muscle. They just stared at her, Erza spoke slowly but surely. - "Why did you cry?" _

_"I-I... did not." - She stuttered and looked away to hide her face with her hair.  
><em>

_"Your face and eyes are red, and your voice sounds like your nose is stuffed up. You did cry." - Gray added. _

Gosh, why is he suddenly smart like that? _Lucy inwardly rolled her eyes._

_She gulped, didn't expect to see them at her room. Well, they knew she cried so no need to hide her face anymore. She looked back at them, moving to sit on the couch between Erza and Gray, Levi and Gajeel sat on the opposite._

_"Don't worry I'm fine, it's just some… stuff happened, it doesn't really matter."_

_"You got a 5 on your 15 minutes exam?" – Levi asked gently and Lucy snickered. They inwardly sighed in relief, Lucy was still okay. _

_"No Levi, I got a 10, that's not the problem"._

_"Some idiot dumped you? I thought it had to be the other way around. But don't worry bunny girl, that's life" - Gajeel said casually, didn't wait for her to utter a word._

_"I haven't got a boyfriend yet, Gajeel" - Lucy frowned._

_"Then what's the problem, Lucy?" - Erza said firmly. Erza was emitting a dead aura and she knew better than lied to her._

_"Well… uhm… you see, me and… my friend… We fell out…"_

_..._

_ She discontinued at that. They stared at her with blankly expressions._

_"That's it?" _

_"Yeah..."_

_"You're lying."_

_"No, I'm not."_

_"That didn't sound so bad."_

_"Well… yeah…" - She was getting more and more uncomfortable, but Erza wouldn't let it go that easily._

_"You're lying." - Now she started to get annoyed._

_"And why the hell am I?"_

_"Because if that's all, you wouldn't have cried. It must have been something really bad to make you cry like that. What happened?" _

_"Can't tell you, it's private." - She mumbled. Erza thought for a minute then said.  
><em>

_"Was that because of Sting?" - That's the only one she could think of that had the gut to make Lucy cry. Lucy didn't answer and that confirmed Erza's theory. _

_"Figure" - She said and they nodded in approval._

_"What?"_

_"That's all we need to know." - And with that, they ended the conversation, Lucy said that it was private so no more questions. They talked for a bit more and watched TV, then studied together. They actually helped Lucy get Sting out of her mind for while.  
><em>

**[End of Flashback]**

* * *

><p>Gray cared deeply about Lucy and always wanted to see her smile. She was a sweet girl, she has a kind heart, she was funny, smart and mature. Who didn't want to see her smile? Surely not Gray.<p>

Sting sneered at him.

"What are you? Her guard dog or something? But anyway, I don't care. Stay out of my way or I'll make you."

"Gladly." - Gray jerked up his chin in challenged manner. Sting scowled, clenching his fists. He really wanted to punch his face right then and there, but he didn't want to make Lucy more angry at him so he chose the safer choice, he moved to walked pass him. Unfortunately, Gray just kept blocking his way. A vein popped on his forehead and he gritted his teeth.

"Out–of–my–way."

"Ooh~, loosing your cool eh, Eucliffe? C'mon, show me what you've got." - Gray provoked him. He knew Lucy would get mad if she found out, but he didn't care, they would make up anyway. Sting moved again and again, Gray blocked his way. Now that was the last straw, if this guy wanted to fight, Sting would give him exactly what he wanted.

"You asked for it." - And just like a flash, he threw a punch right at Gray's face. Gray stumbled but regained his balance and struck back...

* * *

><p>"Okay, I'm busy on Friday morning so I'm gonna be late a bit, I want you three to gather your classmates, check the list for necessary things, stabilize those idiots and report to me when I get there, all right?" - Gildart sensei stated calmly. Seniors of Fiore would have an extracurricular this weekend, but he was gonna be late so he had to make some careful recommendations to Lucy, Erza and Levi. Those three were his most trustful pupils, Gajeel was still dozed off since the beginning of the last period, Levy would wake him up when they finished.<p>

"Masters had come back from their meeting so they're gonna be there, too." - Fairy Tail and Sabertooth only had this kind of tension 2 years ago. Makarov and Jiemma wanted to take full advantage of this trip to make two guilds to be in agreement. The disagreement between them had caused so much trouble already.

"Keep Fairies away from Tigers if something bad happened, okay?"

They nodded.

"Okay, now tell me if-" - He said but didn't have time to finish his sentence when shouting and yelling filled the corridor. He frowned and moved to open the door to see what was going on. And the sight was not very decent to him.

Lucy and Levy gasped, Erza's eyes widened. Gray and Sting were wrestling and throwing punches at each other, some guys tried to stop them but to no avail, they just kept trying to rush at each other to give the other some pieces of their mind. Blood, scratches and contusions were all over their faces. Gildart shouted but they didn't hear him.

"STING!" – Lucy yelled and Sting stopped to look at her, he could recognize her voice anywhere. He took a full blow from Gray and lost his balance. Gildart rushed at them to stop Gray.

"ENOUGH!" - His voice echoed through corridor. Lucy rushed at Sting who was still on the ground, panting. She knitted her eyebrows in worry.

"Sting, are you okay?" - Sting nodded but didn't look at her in the eyes. It hurt her to see his face like that. She tried to take a look at his eyes but he avoided it.

"Sting…" - Lucy said quietly, but Gildart cut her off.

"My office, now." - He said firmly, leaving no room for argument, but Lucy still spoke up.

"Sensei, shouldn't they go to infirmary first?" - She helped Sting to stand up and looked at Gildart again.

"They're not dead Lucy, they could go anywhere they need to go when I'm finish with them." - With that, two boys moved to Gildart's office, still glaring at each other.

Lucy sighed. _Boys. _

* * *

><p>Lucy and Erza were waiting outside of their teacher's office. They had told Levi and Gajeel to go back to their dorm and said that Gray would be okay.<p>

"He must have come to see you, I wonder what happened, Gray wouldn't fight someone for no reason." – Said Erza.

"Neither would Sting." – Lucy defended him, she frowned in annoyance. _Why they always thinking something that bad about Sting? _

"Are you sure?" - Erza asked her in tense tone. Lucy narrowed her eyes at Erza, she didn't care how scary Erza was at that moment, she gritted her teeth.

"Will you ever stop doubting my friend, he's not a bad person."

"He made you cry and fought with Gray, sure he's not a bad person." – Erza didn't back out, she wanted to beat him black and blue when she saw Lucy came back with her red eyes and now came this incident.

Lucy clenched her fists.

"It was just a misunderstanding, Erza." - She sighed again and softened her tone.

She was loosing her patient but she wouldn't let another fight break out again between her and Erza. One was enough. She tried to calm herself down. _Happy thought, happy thought, happy thought._

Erza knew she was pushing Lucy's button so she stopped and said gently.

"Sorry, I'm just worry about you, I don't want him to bring you any harm."

Lucy smiled a bit and exhaled.

"I know, thank you, but believe me he won't. You just think that because you don't know him well enough." - Erza nodded. She really hoped so.

The door opened and there came out two boys. The girls rushed at them, and immediately stood between them.

"Gray, are you okay?" - Lucy tilted her head to look at him. He nodded and smiled tenderly at her. Sting narrowed his eyes and snorted. _Tsk…_

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to write a report to him and sweep the class on my own for 2 week. It's the first time so he won't report to Masters." - She sighed in relief. Erza smacked the back of his head and glared at him.

"Maybe I should tell him to intensify your punishment, I don't think that's enough." - She said then quickly dragged him away to take him to the infirmary. They bid Lucy goodbye and Lucy said she would come see them when she finished with Sting. She turned around, but Sting had already started to walk away. She frowned.

"Sting, go to the infirmary."

"Don't wanna." - He mumbled. She grabbed his arm. _Maybe he's still mad at me... Then, why was he here?_

"Then go back to my dorm, I'll treat your wound." - She didn't wait for his answer and just took him off her room.

Sting didn't say anything, he came to apologize but ended up fighting with her friend and made her worry when she was still mad at him. He felt kinda ashamed about that.

Sting was in Fairy Tail's territory so people just kept glaring at him when he passed by. He rolled his eyes.

Lucy unlocked the door and pushed him in her room, making him sit on the couch, then rushed to the kitchen to take the medical kit.

He looked around the room, it was really nice and big enough for 4 people. _Must be her father._ He inhaled, it smelled just like her. _Magnolia and sunshine. My favorite scent. _He thought and turned to look at the wall which full with pictures. _Pictures of us. _

On the center wall of the room, pictures of him, Lucy, Rogue along with Lucy's family and her other friends were all over it. He smiled, those pictures represented their beautiful memories, they reminded him of how he fell in love with her.

He didn't know exactly when, he just looked at her eyes and found himself being sank in their depth, hearing her laugh and he felt like it was her unique melody that he would never be able to forget, touching her hand and he felt the electricity shot through his body, or looking at her sweet smile and he felt his heart raced hundred miles an hour. That when he found out that he already fell for her, hard.

He wondered if she would ever have that same feeling for him. He wanted to be with her but he was so scared of his past. He was afraid that she wouldn't ever look at him again if she found out. Not that he didn't trust her, he knew her and trusted her with his life, but he didn't want to take the risk of loosing her forever. So he tried to hide his dark past, as long as possible. He perhaps couldn't be her soul-mate or her lover, she probably never knew about his feeling, and he probably could never bring her the happiness that she deserved, although deep down inside, he believed that he was the only one who could do that. Just standing by her side and knowing that he had a small place in her heart was enough for him. Yeah, he could live with that.

Lucy came back with the medical kit and pulled him to sit back down on the couch. She began to treat his wound in silence.

_I wondered if she's/he's still mad at me. _They thought at the same time. Minutes passed by and Sting couldn't take it anymore.

"You're not gonna ask?"

"Ask what?" - Lucy lifted her head to look at him, hands still working on his wound.

"About the fight?" - He said quietly. Lucy glanced at him and smiled.

"I've learned my lesson, you'll tell me when you want to, I'm sure you had your reason." - Sting stared at her. _Lesson? _

"He provoked me, I wanted to see you, but he wouldn't let m-OW... that hurt." - He grunted and she snickered. _Such a baby._

"Sting…" - She said in serious tone, Sting froze and suddenly felt nervous. Lucy sensed his tense and couldn't help but chuckling.

"Relax, I'm not gonna eat you or anything." - She joked.

"Sting, don't said anything, just… let me finish, okay?" - She mumbled and he nodded.

"I'm so sorry about that night Sting." - She said and looked at his eyes.

Sting was stunned, he didn't expect her to apologize first. _She wasn't mad at me?._

"You were right… you had the right to hide something from me, and I don't have the right to ask you about something that you don't want to talk about." She said quietly, her eyes began to water again. _S__tupid Lucy, you're such a drama queen. _

Sting opened his mouth to protest but she put her fingers on his lips to keep him silent. He unconsciously gulped.

" …I always want to know everything that happened in your life, so I can help you, comfort you, do something or anything to help you, because you're very special to me…." - She muttered the last part, bandaging his knuckle and blinking her eyes to hold back tears.

"…You're my...friend, Sting. And I won't be able to help you if you don't let me know what happened…." - She lifted her head to look at his eyes.

Her voice barely audible but Sting still heard her clearly. They both felt their hearts ache at the word 'friend', but trying to push it behind their mind. She caressed his cheek softly and he leaned in her touch, keeping their eyes-contact. Her eyes were like an open book, he could see every emotion that flashed through them: regret, sadness, affection,... love? His heart began to beat loudly and he wondered if she could hear the sound echoed in his mind,_ thud, thud, thud._

"But… when I thought about it more carefully, I realized that you had never hid anything from me before... except that sin you was talking about. And I understand now that... it was something very… very deep... And it won't be easy for you to talk about it when you're not ready." - Her eyes were blur and a trace of tear flew down her cheek, Sting wiped it away gently with his thumb.

_Why are you crying, Luce?_ She asked herself, but she felt like his voice was whispering through her ear and asking her the same thing.

"Even if everybody in this world turned their backs to you… I will always stay by your side. No matter what will happen, no matter how mortal your sin was, I won't judge you, so... don't be scare Sting, I'll wait… I'll wait until you're ready to tell me." - She put her forehead against his and smiled thoughtfully through her tears.

"Can you promise me that, promise that you'll tell me when you're ready?" - She whispered. Sting closed his eyes and listened to her breathing rate, she left him completely speechless. Warmth spread through his heart. He opened his eyes and smiled tenderly at her.

Now he knew why he loved her, he heard they said that you wouldn't be able to know why you loved somebody, but... he knew, he finally knew why.

She kissed the corner of his lips, lingering there long enough to pass all of her emotion to him. _They felt so soft and… so close to mine._He thought.

Their hearts were like having the same rhythm, and they were beating wildly. He tucked a stray of her hair behind her ear and answered her quietly, like he was afraid that the moment would be broken if he spoke too loud, a tint of pink spread on his cheeks.

"I promised."

Sting pulled her in a tight hug and she embraced his torso, burying her face in the crook of his head. He could felt her smile through his skin and he smiled as well. He stroked her hair and murmured. - "Thank you."

They stayed in each other arms just like that, wishing that time could stop so they wouldn't lose this feeling, this warmth. A pleasant melody echoed clearly from the radio of someone's room.

_'Cos you bring out the best in me, like no-one else can do  
>That's why I'm by your side, and that's why I love you<em>

**End of chapter 6**

* * *

><p><strong>*Pheww~* Finally. I'm turning Sting into an idiot, too idiot for his own good maybe? That make me kinda worry -_- Maybe I should make him less stupid =]]<br>**

**I'm sorry if I made so many mistakes (again) (hope that there aren't any gaps) :D**

**Anyway, thank you for reading **

**Read and review please :D.**


	7. Chapter 7 - One step closer

**Hey guys :D Happy Valentine's Day everyone XD **

**Thank you all for reading, following, making this your favorite story :D**

**Special thanks to: Psyka, SimplyIsabelleS **(I know that Sting was pretty smart but I can't help trolling him XD**), AnimexXxLuvver** (Aw thank you so much XD)**, I'm . such . a . geek ** (Here's your new chapter :D) **for reviewing. **

**English is not my mother language, forgive me for the mistake I made :D **

**The song I used was A thousand Years by Christina Perri :D  
><strong>

**Enjoy XD XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 7 - One step closer  
><strong>

Rogue stood outside of Lucy's room, his eyes glued on the ground. Sting had skipped class again and he didn't know where he had gone. He heard some freshmen mumbling about Sting had a fight with Gray Fullbuster at the basketball court. So he came to Fairy Tail building to find him, but couldn't see him anywhere.

_Lucy must have known, maybe…_

He thought, then went to Lucy's dorm. Rogue was about to knock, but halted when he heard Lucy and Sting's voices. He leaned against the door to her room and closed his eyes, thinking about something.

He left after a while, a small smile playing on his lips.

* * *

><p>Rogue was doing his homework in his room when the door opened and Sting's head sneaked in. He came near Rogue's desk and put a black box with a pair of chopstick on it. Rogue looked at him in question. Sting sat down on the chair nearby.<p>

"Lucy bought you dinner. It's sushi, your favorite."

Rogue smiled when he heard that. He put aside his homework and took the chopsticks. Sting stared at Rogue and Rogue raised an eyebrow. He took a look at Sting's face then smirked.

"Look like Gray did a pretty good job with your face."

_Gray? So that's his name. I think I'll remember it clearly._

"Whatever." - He still felt really great after making up and hanging out with Lucy, so he would let it slip, for now.

"Someone is happy… Made up with Luce?" - Rogue asked and picked up another sushi roll. That actually was a rhetorical question, but Sting didn't know that, of course.

"Yeah…" - He mumbled and stared at the ceiling, thinking about the whole dramatic incident that had happened. He looked back at Rogue and asked him out of the blue.

"Why did you bug our talk?"

Rogue didn't look at him, surveying those sushi roll then picked another one and put it in his mouth.

_They don't look as pretty as Lucy's though. _He thought, then answered Sting by his own questions.

"What? You're annoyed with that?

"No, just curious." - He said flatly. Rogue was quiet for a moment then said swiftly.

"Because of Lucy." - Sting turned back to stare at the ceiling, then nodded. _Figure. _

"Don't ever do that again." - Rogue said coldly, but it didn't catch Sting off guard. He nodded again. _I won't._

"How many percent of chance you think I have?" - He asked quietly, Rogue stared at him, he clearly didn't expect that.

_Look like someone has changed his mind after all. 99 perhaps? 1 percent that I'm not sure if you can catch the right opportunity, seeing that you are an idiot.  
><em>

"I don't know. You have to find it out yourself." - Rogue said nonchalantly then got back to his sushi.

"What should I do Rogue? Am I making a right choice?" - He hesitated.

"Follow your heart Sting, it knows what's best for you."

_Right. _He got up and left, leaving Rogue alone with his dinner.

* * *

><p><strong>[Friday morning]<strong>

"Okay everybody, get in line, now." - Guys and girls from Fairy Tail quickly shut their mouths and stood in line when they heard Erza's voice.

It was Friday and they were gathering at the school yard at 7 AM to get ready to leave. The day for the extracurricular trip was today. Lucy was checking the list of necessary things just like Gildart-sensei had told her to, Levi was taking the roll call and Erza was stabilizing law and order among their classmates.

"Cana, put that bottle down, it's 7 in the morning. Gray, put a shirt on. Jet and Droy, stop trying to intimidate Gajeel, that's useless, he can beat you both at the same time…"

"Typical Erza huh?" – Lucy heard someone said and turned to look at him. She smiled at Jellal.

"Yeah, I guess that can't be help."

She shook her head. That's probably the reason why Erza was the President of Student Council, she could scare people of. Jellal smiled, then moved to stand near her, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Erza turned around and blushed slightly, she became shy all of sudden. Lucy giggled at the couple. Everybody knew Erza had a thing for Jellal and vice versa. They just hadn't realized that the other also felt the same way about them, yet.

_They're perfect together, it must feel really great when you're in love with someone. _

She wondered how did someone know when they felt in love? Was it like in those romantic novel she usually read, when the female protagonist saw stars and flowers surrounded her true love, saw everything around her darkened and the only one she could see was _him_? That sounded kinda imaginary.

_Maybe I should ask Rogue or Sting.  
><em>

People were running around the school yard like chickens, yelling, laughing and mumbling. They seemed very excited about the trip. She looked around, trying to find her two childhood friends.

_There they are. They look pretty nervous._ Lucy thought, then smiled. _Right, they have travel sickness._

"Okay brats, time to go, follow me."

Gildart said then led the way to their bus. The same went to Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus, regular students would leave later because there were many of them. Org-sensei was responsible for Sabertooth, he was their Math and home room teacher, Ichiya-sensei was in charge of Blue Pegasus, he was Biotechnology teacher (as we have already known) and Yajime sensei undertook Mermaid Heel, he was their Physics teacher. They began to move really orderly because Masters were there, watching them carefully, especially Master Jiemma. He was very strict when Master Makarov was more laid back, but that didn't mean he was less severe.

"Do you think this trip is gonna work with them?" – Makarov asked his friend.

"I hope so, especially Sabertooth and Fairy Tail. They has caused so much trouble already, they have to learn how to work together." - Said Jiemma, Makarov nodded.

"We should go, too. I'll have my eyes on Fairy Tail and yours on Sabertooth. They'd better not do something funny when we were around."

And with that, they started to leave. Those little devils could turn the whole trip into hell if Masters weren't there.

* * *

><p>After an hour traveled by land and another hour traveled by waterway, they almost reached Tenrou. This trip was only for seniors and on the boat to Tenrou Island, all of the seniors came from F1 as well as S1. There were about 80 students and they were gathering at the deck to listen to Masters' announcement.<p>

"Okay, listen carefully, kids. This trip is not only your chance to set your foot on Tenrou Island, one of the most beautiful islands of Fiore, but it was also the chance to test your knowledge and skills. You're gonna have to work in group. Base yourself on your biological knowledge, and the hints that we've given you to find and collect all the specimens we had listed, then find your way to the meeting place in two days."

Makarov finished so that Jiemma could continue.

"It was a circular island so we can find you when you're lost. There are no wild beasts so you won't meet any danger. If something happen and you are in danger in anyway, shoot your signal fire and we will come immediately. This is a small island, but it isn't _that _small. There is a very low chance that one group could meet another. This is a practise test, do it carefully. And…" - Jiemma hardened his gaze.

"I don't want any trouble between teammates of Sabertooth and Fairy Tail. If I see even one sign of scuffle, you will be disciplinary. Do I make myself clear?" - All students nodded obediently, there was no doubt that Master would do what he said.

"Now, I will call your name to each group and you're gonna get off the boat, follow your teacher one by one then get start. Each group will start at different place".

...

* * *

><p><strong>[3 hours later]<strong>

"Erza, are you sure we're on the right way? I remember we've passed this path before" - Lucy said in confusion. They had been wandering the forest for 3 hours and Lucy felt that there was something wrong, because she just kept seeing some of the scenery again and again.

"What? I thought Gray lead the way?" - Erza blinked at her.

"Huh? I follow Rogue." - Gray shook his head in denial and pointed at Rogue

"I... come after Lucy." - He said casually.

Silence suddenly filled the air …

"EEEEHHHHHH…?" - They cried out at the same time (except Rogue of course) and Lucy facepalmed.

"So nobody knows where we're going?" - She asked tiredly.

"And we still haven't got any specimens yet." - Sting continued.

"Maybe we should get some rest and started again." – Yukino offered and everybody nodded.

Masters had ordered Lucy, Erza, Gray, Sting, Rogue and Yukino to established a group. Sting and Gray were strongly opposed when they had to work in a team, but couldn't do anything because it was Masters' decision. Lucy was sure that it had something to do with their fight few days ago. She was so happy that she could be in the same team with all of her friends, but she was also worried about the trouble that Sting and Gray could cause.

She didn't mad at Gray for fighting with Sting, she knew he did that because of what Sting had done to her. But she also warned him not to do it again or she would have Erza teach him a lesson. He, of course, didn't have anything to protest because Erza was standing front of his desk, glaring deadly at him. She hoped that with her and Erza's presence as well as Rogue's, they would at least stay away from each other.

She was also felt glad that she got a chance to know Yukino better, that was a nice girl and she would love to have a female friend who was from Sabertooth. Rogue and Sting didn't even let her come near their teammates. She really didn't know why people just kept making a fuss about how Sabertooth and Fairy Tail were rivals.

"Lucy, can you tell us what we're gonna to have find again?" - Yukino sat down and asked Lucy. She only read it for Rogue a moment ago when Master handed them the paper. She pulled it out and began to read.

"Okay, first is _Andrias Japonicus, _then _ Maca_ca_ Fuscata, Glirulus Japonicus, Euonymus Alatus_, and a leaf from genus _Acer._" She said and Rogue nodded, but… everybody else stared at them with strange faces.

"What language are you speaking, Lucy?" - Sting asked her and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"That organism's name which was written in nomenclature. It's called language of science, you idiot." - She said and flapped the paper gently in front of his face.

"Well, what does they mean anyway?" - Erza butted in.

She thought this was a good chance to see how was the relationship among the trio, she would stop her doubt about them if she saw how much Lucy mean to them.

"Right… Take out your pen, note and write it down, now." - They started to do what she asked.

"The easiest thing to find at the moment is a leaf from genus _Acer_, it's actually a marble leaf, the second is _Macaca Fuscata _a.k.a Japan money, _Glirulus Japonicus, _it's Japan dormouse, _Euonymus alatus__**, **_it's photogenic shrub and the last is _Andrias Japonicus _– a Japan giant salamander." – She said slowly so her friends could write them down carefully. They were gonna have to find, then took pictures of them and write a report to their teacher.

"Huhmm… it's not so hard to find, right? When you know all their real names." - Yukino said and Lucy smiled at her.

"True, it's only hard because of the names, I wonder if other teams can understand them."

"How do you know all about them anyway? I mean, I know that you're the first-rank student, but that's really… impossible." - Gray asked her with his wide eyes

"I did the impossible right?" - She smirked and he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Actually, our biology teacher told us to study carefully about the creatures in Japan, because she said we were gonna need those knowledge on our trip, but you guys didn't pay attention so… considering yourself lucky because me and Rogue are here." - Lucy said and held up her chin.

Sting smiled widely and shook his head. Gray blinked and Erza stared at him, he looked strange when he smiled like that, at least to them. Yukino frowned, she suddenly felt uncomfortable, but didn't know why. They began their chit-chat and decided to leave in one hour.

* * *

><p>"Okay, how the hell did we come back at the same place again?" - Gray groaned. They still came back where they started an hour ago again and Gray began to piss. Lucy put her index finger on her chin, thinking about something then facepalmed.<p>

"We-"

"Forgot to make a mark." - Sting said before she got a chance to finish and she nodded. Rogue also had just remembered.

"There's no path in forest so our foot just follow their instinct, one long step and one short step, that why we just kept coming back where we started." - Sting explained, Lucy nodded again. Lucy knew Sting was pretty smart, he just let his laziness got the better of him.

"Make a mark on the tree by your knife when we pass by, three lines so it won't be mistaken with other teams' marks." - Rogue said and they started, again.

* * *

><p><strong>[Later that night]<strong>

"Hey Luce… Luce…wake up…"

Lucy heard dimly someone was calling her name, but she thought she heard it wrong so she came back to her sleep.

"Luce… wake up, I have something to show you." - Now she felt like the person was shaking her and she really wanted to yell at them to go away but… Although in her slumber, she was still aware of two of her friends were sleeping right next to her, and Erza would kill her if she woke her up. She groaned and tried to open her eyes.

"What, Sting…?" - Yes, she could recognized his voice anywhere.

_He'd better have a good reason to wake me up in the middle of the night. _

"C'mon, wake up now sleeping beauty. There's something I need to show you, hurry."

He grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the tent. Lucy hissed in annoyance and struggled to awake as well as slipped on her combat boots. Sting led her quietly away from camping place in order not to wake their friends up. He looked back and smiled at her heavy with sleep face. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her, she was wearing a black tank top and brown khaki shorts. That was a bad choice of clothes, considering they were in the middle of the forest, in the middle of the night.

"Sorry to wake you up, but I've just found out our last specimen and something more."

Now that made Lucy completely awake, they had been wandering in the forest all day and couldn't find the last specimen anywhere. Lucy thought that they could find it under large rocks when Rogue said they should find it in the stream, but they still couldn't see it anywhere.

"Japan giant salamander? How?" - She asked in bewilderment. Sting grinned wildly at her.

"I accidentally read the extra information about creatures in Japan behind our book, and it mentioned about giant salamander. The reason why we couldn't find them is because they live in streams with clear and cold water, Rogue was true but they have a night and completely water life. They only come to the surface to take oxygen, that's why we couldn't find them this morning."

She nodded, her mouth made an O shape.

"I didn't remember it until just a while ago, so I came back the small stream when… be careful…" - He held her hand to keep her balance – "… when we passed by this morning, I waited a little bit to see if there are any of them and found one, I've already taken a picture of it, it's really hard you know…" - She nodded again.

"And? What else?" - She asked in confusion. _I thought he said there was something more?_

Sting gave her a secret smile, one hand held hers and led her way, one hand parted branches that stood in their way.

"I said that I would make it up to you when I forgot our meeting at the ice-cream shop, remember?" - She nodded, still trying to figure it out what he had in store for her.

"Well… This is for you…" - He parted another branches like he was opening a secret door to Wonderland.

Lucy gasped, her heart skipped a beat at the sight in front of her. Hundred and hundred of fireflies covered the landscape and lightened up the whole corner of the forest...

Her eyes widened and she gulped, her breath shortened.

_This is…_

Sting tilted his head to contemplate her with eyes full of love and tenderness. He loved her reaction.

She stepped closer to the stream, the water surface was so peaceful and quiet. It reflected all those tiny little lamps, flying around, searching for their partners. The moon granted her light to the stream and coated the scene with a cold feeling, but it went absolutely fit with the warm light spread out from those fireflies. Lucy laughed lightly, looking around, trying to memorize the magical sight with her eyes and her heart, she looked at Sting over her shoulder and smiled sweetly at him.

_Heart beats fast_  
><em>Colors and promises<em>  
><em>How do be brave<em>  
><em>How can I love when I'm afraid<em>  
><em>To fall<em>  
><em>But watching you stand alone<em>  
><em>All of my doubt<em>  
><em>Suddenly goes away somehow<em>

"It's… amazing Sting, it's beautiful." - Sting smiled tenderly at her, she looked like a little fairy had just finally known where she belonged to - lower world's paradise.

"Yeah…" - He whispered and stared right at her like he was talking about her, not the scene. Sting picked a white wild flowers, taking a step closer and putting it on the right side of her hair, then embraced her from behind, his chin was on her shoulder.

"You like it?" - He breathed.

Lucy looked at the sky and closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. She touched his arms, enjoying his warmth.

_I have died everyday_  
><em>Waiting for you<em>  
><em>Darling, don't be afraid<em>  
><em>I have loved you for a<em>  
><em>Thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a<em>  
><em>Thousand more<em>

"I love it." - She whispered, butterflies were moving all around in her stomach and a strange feeling was building up inside of her. But it was not something uncomfortable, she decided that she loved this feeling.

They stood there for a moment then sat on a grass field near the stream. Lucy lied down, her head on Sting's thigh as they listened to the melody of the forest. Sting stroked her hair, eyes traveled from her hair, to her eyes, down her nose and halted at her lips.

_Will you kiss me back when I kiss you? Or will you step back and walk away?_

_Time stands still  
>Beauty in all she is<br>I will be brave  
>I will not let anything<br>Take away  
>What's standing in front of me<br>Every breath,  
>Every hour has come to this<em>

He really didn't know what should he do. After all that happened, he wanted to tell her about his past so badly, to finally get that burden off his chest, his shoulder, but he was looking for more and more courage. He thought he still wasn't brave enough to face it.

_One step closer_

_I'm such a coward. _

He sighed quietly, but Lucy caught that. She diverted her eyes from the sky to his face and asked gently.

"What's wrong, Sting?" - Sting shook his head and smiled at her.

"Nothing."

Lucy knew he was lying, but she didn't push it further, just staring at him with her round eyes. The ethereal light framed his face and the look he gave her was so... so soothing, so sweet that it almost stopped her heart. Happiness and sadness invaded her at the same time.

_I have died everyday_  
><em>Waiting for you<em>  
><em>Darling, don't be afraid<em>  
><em>I have loved you for a<em>  
><em>Thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a <em>  
><em>Thousand more<em>

She was happy because Sting was here with her. He'd done all of this for her and that made her feel really special, but then… she remembered what Sting had said. He said that he was looking for a girl that could make him feel like _that girl_ had made him feel. And in a flash of second, the image of Sting being with another girl was like a hand that was trying to crush her heart, and… it was really… really painful. She redirected her eyes to the sky once more and blinked a couple times to hold back tears.

"The stars are so beautiful tonight, huh?" - She asked him, trying to make a decent conversation.

"Yeah…" - He answered, looking at her eyes. They were twinkling like stars in his eyes and there were no other stars could compare to that, no matter how beautiful they were.

"Do you see those stars, Sting? They look like an arrow… See?" - She pointed at the sky, trying to draw an arrow with her index finger. He nodded.

"Uh huh, what about them?"

"It's called Sagittarius, a constellation from 12 signs of the Zodiac, every constellation has its own story, you know." - He listened carefully.

"When I was a kid, instead of hearing historical monument like _Sleeping Beauty _or _Snow White,_ my mom told me stories about stars. And it was miraculous." - She smiled at the memory, her mom had a lot of astronomic books and those were her most favorite.

"Yeah, your mom is wonderful." - That was true, he and Rogue came to her house to hang out with her and her mother was really nice, she loved Sting and Rogue like her own sons. She reminded him of his mom. Lucy looked at him again.

"Sting…" - She called him to attract his attention. - "Could you tell me something about your mom? You never told me about her before."

He blinked and stared at her. In a moment, she thought that he was gonna be mad at her again for touching that sensitive subject. She had learned from time to time that she must be really… really careful about that matter, about his mom. She only knew from Rogue that his mother passed away before he met her. Sting rarely mentioned her and she respected that. But… in this moment, she felt that she could finally reach that smallest but also the most hurtful corner of his heart.

"It's okay if you don't-"

"She used to be my everything." - He cut her off - "She taught me to garden, to tie shoelace, to show old people respect..." - Sting said quietly, it brought him such a painful feeling when someone asked about his mom, but... he didn't feel anything when Lucy asked him like that and... He knew that she was probably the only one he could ever mention his mom to. Memories ran through his mind.

_One step closer_

"She told me to never, ever leave my friends behind and always keep my promise. Although I still haven't done a pretty good job at keeping them." - He gave her a apologetic smile. - "She taught me to love although I was still too young to know what the hell was love." - Lucy giggled and that made him smile again.

"It's a shame that you couldn't taste her baking, her chocolate muffin was the best." - His voice turned quiet.

_If she were still alive, she would love you Luce. She would want to have you as her daughter in law._

He thought, but restrained himself from saying so.

Lucy bit her lip, he was hurting, she could detect the sadness and the sore in his voice, his eyes, it made her heart throb.

_Sting..._

She took his hand and kissed his palm. She didn't want to say anything and Sting knew she didn't have to. Sometimes when somebody opens their heart to you, you don't have to say anything to comfort them or give them advice, just listening to them and that is enough. Lucy gave Sting her best smile, her eyes twinkled with the light from the moon and fireflies. And Sting understood all the things she was trying to say just by looking at her eyes.

_And all along I believed_  
><em>I would find you<em>  
><em>Time has brought <em>  
><em>Your heart to me<em>  
><em>I have loved you for a<em>  
><em>Thousand years<em>  
><em>I'll love you for a <em>  
><em>Thousand more<em>

_I'm here for you._

He smiled back at her. He now knew what he should do.

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile]<strong>

"Spying on them won't get you anywhere." - Yukino jumped the sound of someone's voice.

It was Rogue. She was hiding behind a tree, looking at Sting and Lucy secretly. She was trying to sleep when she heard someone's voice outside the tent. She recognized Sting's voice and decided to follow them.

"Rogue, what are you doing here? You scared me to death." - She said quietly and put a hand on her chest to calm her heart. Rogue just stared at her with his cold eyes, he didn't answer her question.

"He will never choose you so just give it up." - He said nonchalantly, then turned his head to look at Lucy and Sting. Lucy was lying down on Sting's thigh, saying something then pointing her finger to the sky. Yukino frowned slightly.

"How do you know? Nothing's impossible you know. They're just friends, I still have my chance." - She mumbled that last part.

He snorted. _Stubborn, eh?_

"Oh I know, believe me. He will never choose you over Lucy, even if she didn't return his feeling."

Yukino felt her heart sting at his words, but she tried to put it aside.

Yukino then stared at him with confusing eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" - She took his silence as a yes.

"You like her, don't you?"

Rogue scoffed.

"Isn't that obvious? I don't like her." - He fixed his stare at her, allowing her to look into his eyes to see the honest and the feeling that he kept for a certain girl.

"I love her."

She frowned again and gave him a strange look.

"You don't seem having any problem with them being together like that, and you said you loved her?"

"Why should I?" - He shrugged.

"So you're just gonna let her go like that?"

"Who says I'm gonna let her go?" - He deadpanned and Yukino sighed.

Talking with him cost a lot more energy than she thought.

"But-"

"We both love her…" – He said. Yukino stared at him. Realization hit her and she widened her eyes.

"Are you serious? That's impossible. Love is selfish, you won't have your place between them once you let her fall into Sting's arms like that." - She hardened her eyes. _What the hell is he thinking? _She understood what he was implying.

"You think I'm not selfish? You think I like seeing her being with another person? Laughing with another person? You think I don't want me to be the only one that could make her happy, the only one in her heart?"

Rogue looked at her with such intense that she unconsciously took a step back.

"I love her, therefore I'm selfish, too. But…" - He turned away, fixing his stare at the sky.

"…When you truly love someone, you know that their happiness is more important than your selfishness." - He put his hand in his pocket, feeling the thin fabric of _his_ handkerchief.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flashback]<strong>

_"What is that?" - Rogue asked suspiciously. They was standing in the middle of her room, facing each other. He had come to Heartfilia's mansion to borrow notes from Lucy because he was sick and couldn't come to class almost a whole week. He spotted something with his name on and was about to grabbed it, but Lucy was faster. She immediately rushed at her desk and hid it behind her back._

_"Nothing" - She smiled widely, but was panicking inside. _

_"It has my name on it, isn't it?" - He took a step forward and she took a step back._

_"No… really, it's nothing Rogue." - She mumbled and avoided looking in his eyes._

_"Lucy… what-is-that?" - He emphasized every word, trying to take a look at it. Lucy knew she couldn't hide it forever, Rogue would find it out sooner or later, he always would. She sighed and extended her hand in front of him. It was a handkerchief, with pink flowers embroidery and… _"To my dear Rogue". _He took the handkerchief and read the text, then looked back at her._

_She looked at the ground and said quietly._

_"I sewed it for you a few days ago when you were still sick."_

_"Then… why don't you give it to me?" - He raised his eyebrows at her. _

_"It's… pink_…_I remembered that you don't like pink when I finished it… and you're not sick anymore so... give it back." - She tried to grab it but he held it out of her reach and smirked._

_"No way, my name is on it so… it's mine." - She was stunned for moment, then looked at him sheepishly. He was surveying the handkerchief in his hand with a smile. He didn't care if it looked girly and didn't suit him, she'd done it for him and he would preserve it with his heart. _

_"You don't have to take it if you don't like it, I'll give you something else." - She mumbled.  
><em>

_"No, I love it. Thank you". He grinned at her and her eyes widened. It was the first time she'd seen it.  
><em>

He looks really funny grinning like that.

_She giggled - "You're welcome." _

**[End of flashback]  
><strong>

* * *

><p>He smiled a small smile at the memory. He had brought the handkerchief with him ever since, every time he went out he would take it with her. No girls had ever done something like that for him and what she did was really touching. They were 13 back then, the handkerchief had brought them closer, so close that when he realized it, there was no turning back anymore.<p>

"She's too precious to us so we won't tear her apart by making her choose, she can't choose between us." - His eyes turned blankly, the warmth in his eyes a while ago had disappeared and Yukino couldn't figure out what he was thinking or feeling at that moment.

"We're like a triangle and we can't be completed if one piece is missing. The only hindrance right now is Sting's past but Lucy will help him get over it. She will soon become conscious of her feeling about him and Sting… the desire to be with her will eventually defeat his fear. We both love her and she loves us both, she just... hasn't realized it yet." - He looked at her again.

"Love can't be share like that, it's impossible, Rogue." - This time, she shook her head slightly.

"Nothing's impossible when you're in love." - He said casually.

"When you find out someone deserves your heart, you will understand why you and Sting can't be together. Stop hurting yourself more than you already have." - Rogue said his final words to her that night then walked away, leaving Yukino alone with her thought.

_Love among three people? Is that possible or it's just his delusion?  
><em>

**End of chapter 7**

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading again :D I hope you like it, tell me what you think :D<strong>

**Maybe the chorus of the song didn't fit much to you but I could tell that song was "the one" :))**

**Anyway I'm sorry if there are any mistakes :D I'm sure there are -_-**

**I'll see you next time :D Good night/day.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Tsundere?

**Hey :D It's me Merikatori and I bring you the latest chapter of Pure :D**

**First of all thank you all of you for reading, making this your favorite story**

**Special thanks to Sakamaki Hikaru, AnimeWhoLock, DarqueDeth4444, Spyka, SimplyIsabelleS, Guest and Mandy422 for reviewing :D You guys are the best XD XD  
><strong>

**Guest: **I like RoLu as much as I like StiCy really :D Thank you for your opinion but actually ... I don't have the intention to put Rogue and Yukino together from the first place, you know :D I think that they could be good friends and that's enough :D I want to create a love triangle among three of them (Sting, Lucy, Rogue), not in the competitive way but in the ... I don't know how to say it but I guess in the understanding way? I don't want to choose between RoLu and StiCy XD I just can't :D**  
><strong>

**Mandy422: **Yeah I know, I even love him more than Sting when I wrote that chapter XD He'll have more scene I promise, three of them were main characters so I want to be fair with them.

**Anyway, English is not my mother language so I'm sorry for any mistakes that I made :D Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 8 - Tsundere?**

Yukino yawned, pulling the strap of her bag a little to make her shoulder more comfortable. The lack of sleep made her shoulder and back feel weary. She had left a while after Rogue, heading back to the girls' tent and trying to sleep but her eyes refused to close, her thought just kept bothering her mind. She finally could sleep an hour later. When she assumed it was about 2 AM, Lucy still hadn't been back. That probably explained why she was having a doze on Rogue's shoulder while he was giving her a piggyback. The girl couldn't even open her eyes properly when Erza and Yukino tried to wake her up at 7 this morning. Yukino wondered what did they do last night after she had left.

She felt completely lost after she heard Rogue said that he would never choose her over Lucy. If it came from someone else, she would just shrug it off and still tried to give her best shot, but… it wasn't. It came from Rogue, someone was very close to him and that made her anxious.

"Sting, I'll cut your hand off if you don't leave her alone right now." – Rogue's voice broke the line of her thought.

"Can't help it, she looks cute when she's sleeping." – Sting said nonchalantly. She saw him kept poking Lucy's cheek slightly.

"Stop it, Sting. She'll get bitchy if she doesn't get enough sleep." – Rogue was getting more and more annoyed at Sting, but he tried not to bust. He didn't want his little girl to wake up, then turned into a monster.

"Fine." – Sting finally gave in.

Yukino sighed. _What should I do? _Erza caught that, but she didn't say anything. Erza just gave her a strange look.

"What did she do last night anyway? She looks like she didn't sleep a wink." – Gray asked and his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Sting said that he and Lucy went out to collect the last specimen so they came back late." – Erza answered him, looking at the camera to check the photos.

"The last specimen? We couldn't find them whole day yesterday. How did they find them anyway?"

"It's because we could only find them at night, in the stream we passed yesterday." – Sting said swiftly.

"Why did you have to wake her up? Why not Rogue or me? Who knew what you were gonna do with her in the middle of the night?"

Gray said harshly, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him. Sting halted when he heard what just came out of Gray's mouth and clenched his fists. How dare him imply that he would do something bad to Lucy. He would kill himself first if he ever tried it. He tried to keep his composure in check.

_Breath, Sting, breath. Things between you and Lucy are pretty good, don't ruin it again. _

He turned around and gave Gray his infamous smirk.

"I like being with her so I wanted her to go with me. I don't care if you have the problem with that. And for your information, I will never, ever do something that will bring her harm. So don't you dare say that again or you're gonna regret that." - That was not a lie, he said it and he meant it.

Gray was about to retort back, but Erza glared at him to make him stop. He looked away. _Tsk._ And scowling hard at the ground. Erza could feel the tension was rising in the air. Sting seemed pretty offense by Gray's words, but she could see that he was trying to hold back, for his sake or for Lucy's sake she was not sure.

_Probably both_.

She must admit that being in the same team with them wasn't so bad. Rogue was smart, that was no doubt. Sting was not so bad either, the fact that he was the one who could find out where was their last specimen was pretty impressive. And Yukino... such a sweet girl. She seemed nice, not as mean as many girls in Sabertooth.

But Erza knew that there was something going on between her and Sting. Well, probably just Yukino, Sting didn't take much notice at her. Erza could clearly see that. Lucy gained all his attention when she was around, Erza was about 90 percent sure that Yukino liked him. The girl just kept looking at him secretly, or frowned when he was fooling around with Lucy or smiling at her. Erza was never an observant person, but it was so obvious that she couldn't help but noticing. She felt bad for Yukino, it was hard when someone who you was attracted to couldn't even see your affection for them, let alone returned it.

That made her kinda worry because she had a crush on someone *cough* Jellal *cough* too and she was really scared that he wouldn't feel the same way about her. But that was the story for another time anyway. It was also kinda funny to see the high and mighty Sting, the cold and bad boy of Fiore turned 180 degrees into someone who was childish, impartial with a stupid grin on his face all the time. She never knew that the boy had this side in him.

And about Rogue… well... He was still the same as far as she could see, but… he was different at the same time, too. He seemed more relax and more tender. He sometimes would smile a small smile, but only when you looked really, really closely that you could see it. It was a privilege that only Lucy could receive. She saw the way he look at her with his red eyes, the cold and the cruelty because of their color were just disappeared and the admiration as well as dearness replaced them perfectly.

Her lips turned up a little, Lucy seemed like she had some kind of super power that could turn this two boys of her into someone else. There was no doubt that they would do anything for their girl and protect her even from the world. The three of them were very lucky to have one another, they were family, they were friends and perhaps lovers in the future. Erza wondered who Lucy would choose between Sting and Rogue. It sounded kinda stupid to her, but Erza hoped that she would never have to, because it would surely break her heart whatever her decision was.

"So where is the meeting place again, Erza?" - Rogue asked her. She pulled out the paper to read it again.

"About 2 miles West from where we had started" - Rogue nodded. It was 11.30 AM and the sun was on their sinciputs so they had to define the direction again.

_That means the North from where we're standing. _He thought.

"Sting, look for some moss at the foot of a tree, they grow at the North. Yukino, try to find an ant nest, they shield their nest with leaves at the North too, just to be sure."

They nodded and did what he told them. After a moment, they could find their right direction again and continued to finish their journey. Lucy had waken up after a while, and the noise started again. Lucy looked over her shoulder to give Sting and Yukino a smile. They smiled back at her. Sting seemed tired and yawned a couple of times.

He looked at the girl who was walking beside him and saw her frown. He blinked.

"Give me your bag."

Yukino snapped out of her thought then looked at him with confusion.

"P…pardon me?"

"They seemed heavy, I'll carry them for you for a while".

"N..no, it's…it's okay, I'm fine." - She raised her hands to decline, but he didn't listen to her, just pulling the straps of the bag off her shoulders. She blushed at his gesture and tried to hide it by looking at the ground, covering her red face with her hair. Fortunately that was unnoticeable by him.

She glanced at him and saw his eyes lingered on a certain girl. Lucy seemed cheerful after she had her sleep. She was walking backward, talking something to Erza and they both laughed at Gray's miserable face. She then walked toward Rogue, holding his arm then swing both their arms back and forth like they were 5. Sting exhaled a soft laugh. _Kid. _

"How long have you known one another?" – Yukino asked out of the blue – "I mean, you and Lucy….". She didn't know what else to say so she tried the easiest way: asking about their relationship.

"Huhmm… almost ten years… I guess. Wow, it's been a really long time." – Sting nodded to himself.

"How did you guys meet?" - She continued and suddenly felt curious.

"It's a long story anyway, my cat brought me to her." - He looked at Lucy and grinned. _Talking about Lector, I've never given him a proper thank after what he had done, maybe I should do it after this trip._

"Is Rogue always like that around her?" She tilted her head, looking at Rogue's smiling face. Erza, Gray, and Rogue, they looked like they had got used to one another. Lucy was sandwiched between Erza and Rogue, Gray was walking right next to Erza. Sting and Yukino were walking closely behind them.

"Yeah, only around her." – Sting smirked.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<br>**

_"A girl kidnapped Lector?" – Rogue asked his friend, his eyebrows knitted together. _

_"No, she didn't kidnap him, she found him." – Sting said, smiling and petting Lector. Rogue was sitting on his bed, holding Frosh, his own kitten. Both of them had come back home just in time for dinner. Fortunately that Sting had found Lector, he told Rogue about the girl he met near the river bank. Rogue had never seen him so exciting before, not after his mother's death. He was curious and wanted to know who was this girl._

_"She looks really cute, with her blond hair and her eyes look delicious, too." – Sting exclaimed. _

_"Did you just describe a person's eyes as delicious?" – Rogue made a disgusting face. _He sounded like a monster that wants to eat people's raw eyes.

_"No – yes… I mean, her eyes look beautiful, they're brown and remind me of chocolate so I said they looked delicious." – Sting said loudly, his smile never faded._

_"Come with me to the park tomorrow to see her, you'll like her." _

_ Rogue only nodded, although he didn't feel enthusiastic at all._

* * *

><p><strong><em>[The next day]<em>**

_"She stood us up, Sting." – Rogue said nonchalantly. _

_They had been waiting for this girl for almost an hour and she was nowhere to be seen. Rogue began to get annoyed. he just kept grunting, frowning, and murmuring something about 'Idiot Sting' or 'Idiot Blondie'. _

_"She'll come, she promised." – Sting talked back, but he also began to doubt his words. _She's just a… little late. _He sighed, he didn't know why but something told him that just kept waiting, kept waiting and she would come, so he waited even though he didn't know how long he was gonna have to wait._

_But… his effort seemed worth it. He caught a glimpse of yellow at the horizon and immediately stood up. He grinned widely and waved at her, Lucy was running really fast toward them. She stopped in front of Sting, putting her hands on her knees and panting._

_"S..*pant*... sorry...*pant*...*pant… for *pant* being...*pant* *pant*...late." _

_Sting patted her back slightly._

_"It's okay. We've just come here, too." - He lied.  
><em>

_"Really?" Lucy asked with her wide eyes._

_*cough*_

_Rogue coughed and cleared his throat loudly. _Idiot. _He glared at the girl, he did not like her although she looked kinda pretty, just like Sting had said. But how could he like her when she made him wait for her almost an hour. Rogue back then was impatient and even more hot-head than Sting. _

_Sting frowned at him and mouthed 'Don't be rude to her', but Rogue just 'Tsk' at him. Lucy looked at Sting, then at Rogue, then at Sting, then at Rogue again._

_"What are you looking at, Blondie? We've been waiting for you for an hour. Next time, if you can't come just in time, then don't come at all." - Rogue said rudely, ignoring Sting's dead glare. _

_"I said don't be rude to her." - Sting half shouted half whispered to him._

_ Lucy flinched at Rogue harsh tone then set her eyes at the ground guiltily._

_"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. My mom's sick today, I was so worried that I totally forgot, I'm sorry." – Her eyes began to water and they widened their eyes, both at her sight and her words. _

_Sting scowled at Rogue then flung his arms around to hug her, patting her head slightly like a big brother._

_"Oh don't cry Luce, I don't blame you, don't pay attention to him, he's always mean like that." - He heard Rogue's growl so he turned around and stuck his tongue out at him. _

_Lucy rubbed her eyes to get rid off some of her tears. She then freed herself gently from Sting's arms and approached Rogue. She put her hands behind her back and looked at him sheepishly, he folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at her._

_"I'm sorry for making you wait. It won't happen again, could you forgive me?" – She didn't know if that was enough so she gave him her puppy dog eyes. She did it all the time with her mother and it always worked. Rogue's eyes widened, she looked so adorable that all he wanted was giving her a bear hug._

W..wh..what the heck? Sh…she…

_He was taken back by her cute face and unconsciously gulped. He couldn't even think straight with her staring at him like that. Rogue looked over her shoulder then spotted Sting who was silent laughing. He scowled hard at him and regained his composure, then cleared this throat._

_"Fine, you're forgiven." - He mumbled._

_Lucy's face lit up, she grinned widely then flung herself at him, giving him a tight hug.  
><em>

_"Thank you so much." _

_"Blon… Blondie… can't… breath." _

_Lucy immediately let him go and laughed nervously, she extended her hand at him._

_"I'm Lucy, nice to meet you." – Rogue looked at her hand then back at her face, considering his option. _

_"She won't eat you Sting, it's just a handshake." – Sting scolded him. Rogue sighed then took her hand._

_"Rogue Cheney." – He said and she smiled._

_"Nice to meet you, Rogue."_

* * *

><p>Memories brought him back to the old day when he first met Lucy.<p>

_I changed a lot because of her. _

Despite the dislike he gave her when she almost stood them up back then, she was still friendly to him. Rogue hated people who were late the most and she knew that. But instead of staying away from him, she tried to change that grudge because she truly wanted friendship to be blossom between them. She didn't have many friends, other kids didn't like her because her family was super rich. They said that she was hard to please and could tell her father to do something bad to them if they displeased her.

Rogue didn't like her at first, but not because of her family. It was because of what happened at the park. Plus she talked too much, always noisy and always trying to get under his skin. But the more he tried to push her away, the more she tried to get closer. The animosity slowly turned into something else that completely changed him: admiration, fondness, warmth…

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, Rogue.<em>" _– Rogue was cleaning his electric guitar in his room when he heard her voice. It was a Saturday afternoon when Sting invited her to come to dinner. He looked at her and gave her a nod. Rogue had begun to consider her as a friend but he still sometimes said something impolite to her. He tried to hide the fact that he started to like her as someone who was close to him. _

_"Did you see Sting and dad the way out?" _

_"Uh huh, he said they have to go to the grocery store to buy some vegetables and he told me to stay and keep you company." – She said and sat on his chair, watching him with her big brown eyes. _

_"Hey, you play guitar?"_

_"A little"_

_"Can you play me a song?" – She asked, her face filled with excitement. She liked music and all kind of musical accessory._

_"No." – He said tersely._

_"Why not?" – She pouted. _

_Rogue sighed. - "Why don't you just go and let me have some peace before I completely lost it at dinner?" – He said, still cleaning his guitar. He didn't hear anything from her. _

_"What? Cat got your tongue?"_

_Lucy frowned at his rudeness, but tried to push it aside. She'd already used to it. She looked somewhere else and let the sadness occupy her eyes, it was just… she tried to be optimistic, but it had been 6 years and he still didn't like her much. _

_She didn't know why, she tried to talk to him, telling him jokes to make him laugh, but he never laughed. He just stared at her with his red eyes, making her look like an idiot talking and laughing to herself. She heard from Sting that he liked sushi so she asked her mother to show her how to do it. Her effort still didn't please him very much. When she asked 'Is that good', he just said swiftly 'It's fine' or 'It's okay' and switched to other dishes. Sting usually scolded him, sometimes he would get angry at him for being so cruel to her, but she just laughed lightly and told him to let it pass. It seemed like she didn't get anywhere with this friendship and she felt very disheartened. _

_Rogue lifted his head to gaze at her and guilty crept through his heart, she seemed… down. She usually would laugh (nervously) at his harsh, retorted back, or pouted cutely and it was strange when one of those things didn't happen today. _

_He didn't know why he just kept pushing her away like that. He wanted her to stay with him instead of going to the grocery store. She had tried so hard to be friendly with him, to show him her good side but it still wasn't enough for him. He had been too greedy perhaps? Now when he thought about it, he felt really content when she did something for him. When she spoiled him with her attention or her foods she made, he told himself that it had to be that way, she had to treat him that way and that... was only natural. He didn't realize that he had hurt her more than once._

_"Sorry, that's mean." – He said quietly but loudly enough for her to hear, then came back with what he was doing. The guitar was sparkling clean but he just kept cleaning and cleaning, didn't know what to say next. _

_"It's okay." – Lucy murmured._

_"Maybe some other times, I still need to practice more before I can play it perfectly." – He said and Lucy just nodded. _

_She was unusual quiet that night…_

* * *

><p>"Rogue was mean to her back then" – Sting mumbled and shook his head.<p>

"Really? Why?" – Yukino asked then turned to look at Rogue in awe. She found it hard to imagine Rogue being unkind to Lucy.

"Don't know, because he was a tsundere?" He said and she giggled.

* * *

><p>Things changed, he changed and it was like he was trying to make it up to those days, when there was nothing but bitter and distance between them, even though it was just the outside.<p>

"Rogue… Rogue are you okay?" - Lucy took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He was staring into space, lost in thought but snapped out of it when he felt the warmth from her hand.

"Yeah… I'm fine." – He forced a small smile. _If only I could have been nicer to her. _He sighed quietly, he looked at her face and his mind couldn't stop but reminisced about something.

* * *

><p><em>Rogue took out his umbrella and was locking his locker when he heard someone cursed. <em>

_"Shit, how am I suppose to go home now." _

_It was Lucy..._

_"First I was late for the rehearsal and hit a bicycle. Now I forget to bring my umbrella and it's raining. Great." – She said loudly and slumped on the perron of the (almost) empty hall, waiting for the rain to stop. _

Look like she just had a really bad Sunday. _He smirked and shook his head slightly._

_"The universe seems hate you." _

_"Tell me about it." She answered then jumped. Lucy turned around and sighed in relief when she saw it was Rogue. She looked surprise for a moment then murmured. - "Oh, it's you." _

_Rogue raised an eyebrow. - "You're expecting someone else?"_

_"N-no, it's not like that." – She stammered then stared at the blue sky filled with gray clouds. A supposed to be beautiful Sunday was ruined by God. It was raining like cats and dogs and there was no way she could leave here without an umbrella. Rogue put a hand in his pocket, his other hand held the umbrella behind his back. He stared at her, her back facing him, he wondered what was she thinking. He moved forward and sat down next to her._

_"What are you doing here?" – He asked. He didn't feel very comfortable after last night when she came to have dinner, she was so quiet and avoided his eyes whenever he tried to look into hers. _

_"I got a rehearsal." – She extended her hand to catch raindrops falling from Heaven, they were drip-dropping on her palm like crazy and she smiled. _

_"What about you? What are you doing here?" - Lucy asked back, still didn't look at his face.  
><em>

_"I practiced soccer at the back yard." - She nodded. _

_They sat just like that, watching the rain in silence. He paused for a moment, then stood up, suddenly grabbing her hand._

_"C'mon, let's go home, I have my umbrella."_

_Rogue pulled her and she struggled to stand up with one leg._

_"W... wait, my…my…" - She looked down and Rogue followed her eyes. They lingered on her livid ankle, that the result when she hit a bicycle this morning.  
><em>

_"You sprained your ankle and you still go to school?" - He asked casually, but it sounded like he was scolding her._

_"I didn't notice it this morning, it didn't hurt until a while ago, okay?" - She grunted. _

_She had enough bad luck today and she didn't want Rogue to make it worse.  
><em>

_Rogue stared at her, hand still holding hers. She blushed slightly, then withdrew her hand and he let her. He turned around and crouched down._

_"Get on." - Lucy's eyes widened, she opened her mouth..._

_"And don't you dare say no to me." - He cut her off before she got a chance to protest. She closed her mouth then obediently took the umbrella from his hand. She embraced his neck and blushed hard. Fortunately he didn't see it, his hands were behind her knees, eyes looking straight ahead. _

_They were silent on their way home. _

_Rogue wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say. Should he apologize to her about last night again? Should he wait for her to say something first? _

_Her scent faintly redolent, sunshine was replaced by rain blended with magnolia. It made him feel fresh and comfortable. _

_Lucy held the umbrella and tilted her head to look at his face secretly, it didn't express any emotion and she wondered what was he thinking. _

_Was he still annoyed with her? Her eyes glued to his. People usually got scared when they looked into his eyes because they were red, cold, and cruel but... Lucy didn't think so. She actually loved his eyes, they held strength as well as warmth, but also a hint of sadness… and lonely. Lucy could find a little bit of herself when she looked into his eyes. She didn't realize that she was slowly leaning on his shoulder, her cheek almost met the fabric of his shirt. _

_Rogue saw that out of the corner of his eyes, but didn't say anything. His lips twitched in amusement. He suddenly jumped over a puddle, startling her. She squealed and hugged his neck tighter, almost choked him. Rogue snickered and she blushed again, realizing that he was teasing her. She seemed blush a lot today. She smiled shyly at the sound coming from him, it was like the tension from the last dinner had disappeared. She bid her lips then slowly, yet boldly leaned her cheek on the crook of his neck, waiting for his reaction but got none. _

_She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. He smiled back at her even though he didn't see her face, he knew she was smiling._

**[End of flash back]  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Rogue smiled widely at her and she laughed lightly.<p>

"Okay mister, you're creeping me out, what's so funny?"

Rogue shook his head, but the smile didn't slip from his face.

"Nothing."

* * *

><p>Sting saw Rogue pulled Lucy closer, their arms were touching and he chuckled.<p>

_You can see through me Rogue, but you forgot that I also can see through you, too._

Yukino looked at him quizzically. She had tried to involve him to talk to her but he just answered swiftly, then his mind would drift to somewhere else. She then decided to take all her courage then asked him directly, the thing that she had wanted to ask so many time, but was afraid to hear the answer.

"You like her, don't you?"

Sting blinked twice then gave her a surprised look.

"Huh?"

"Do you like Lucy...?" - She asked again.

"I mean, like like, not just like, you know…" – She tried to explain, thinking that he didn't understand, but he just stared at her.

After a minute but Yukino felt like forever, he turned away, looking straight ahead again and dropped their conversation. Yukino frowned, she was hurt when he ignored her like that. _Bad move. _She scolded herself.

* * *

><p>"Oh-my-God, urrrggg… home sweet home." - Lucy jumped on the bed, her face hit the pillow and she sighed in content.<p>

"Actually, it's my home and my room." – Sting said quietly, putting down his pack bag then covered his mouth again. He still couldn't get rid off the feeling of sickness when he was on the boat and the bus. It was 9 PM and they'd just returned from their trip, it was fun but also exhausting. Their team did a pretty good job, most of the students could find the right direction but not all of them could find all the specimens. Some teams couldn't even understand what the list was saying so they captured every picture of every tree and animal they found. Some teams had some right pictures, but some also didn't get any.

Rogue plopped himself down on the bed next to her, copying her posture and hummed. He was so tired from the travel sickness and couldn't even lift a finger.

"Okay, Rogue, not you too. It's my bed, go back to your room" – He said tiredly.

Rogue didn't budge a muscle, he didn't have enough energy to say anything so he just grunted and groaned. Lucy looked at Rogue then got up, she held his head, putting it on her lap and beckoned Sting to do the same. She fondled their hair gently and smiled. She did it all the time when they were young. They didn't have any problem with motorcycle or bicycle, but with the bus, the boat, the plane and other vehicles... that was another story._  
><em>

"Feeling better?" - They sighed in content and nodded.

After about half an hour, she yawned, then decided to leave. But before she could even put a toe on the ground, two hands caught her wrists and pulled her down again.

"It's late, stay." – Rogue murmured and hold her waist, pulling her closer, Sting also put an arm around her and snuggled into her warmth, buried his face into her hair. She hummed then closed her eyes, drifting to sleep in peace with a smile on her face. They shared the same bed that night, something they hadn't done for a very long time.

* * *

><p><strong>[Two week later]<strong>

"Have you told Masters about her?" - Lucy asked Sting while preparing some pancake and omelet for them at her dorm. It was a Tuesday morning when they arrived at her dorm very early to have breakfast with her.

"Yeah, Master Jiemma didn't look very please when I told him that." – Sting took out a gallon of milk and poured to his glass as well as Rogue's.

"He said that he couldn't do something more than warning her, because we don't have proof and it could be a misunderstanding" – Rogue continued.

"Yeah, but I heard the teachers mumbled about Master was furious at her, guess that why she's backed off a little." – Sting nodded.

Lucy put down three dished on the table, thinking about something.

"Next time if she bother you, tell me, I have an idea"

"What idea?" Sting was curious, Lucy was up to something and when she was up to something, it must be really funny or really evil.

"Only when she bother you again, if you want to know then just invite her to come to you" - She deadpanned and Sting shut up immediately, there's no way in hell it's gonna happen.

Rogue looked at them and chuckled.

* * *

><p>Lucy came to her classroom when the bell rung the third ring. She was wondering what the hell was happening with everybody, they seemed… very excited about something, she tugged Erza's sleeve.<p>

"Hey Erza, what with all this… animation?" - Lucy asked her, she was really curious. Was there a festival going happen or something? Erza crossed her arm and sighed.

"It's been quite sometime, I guess."

"Ehhh … pardon me?" - Her eyebrows knitted together. She asked a question and Erza's answered completely unrelated to it, at all. Erza shook her head and smiled, she was about to tell Lucy, but the door slammed open loudly. A guy was standing at the door, wearing Fiore's uniform and Fairy Tail's bandage with a very serious expression on his face.

_Striped scarf, black eyes… pink hair? _Lucy's eyes widened.

"He's back" – Erza finished her sentence.

_Natsu Dragneel?_

**End of chapter 8**

* * *

><p><strong>:D Sooo? What do you think?<strong>

**I want to put Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 in this chapter because I was listening to it while I was writing but I realized it maybe didn't fit :D  
><strong>

**Anyway thank you for reading  
><strong>

**Bye guys XD**


	9. Chapter 9 - Old friend, New event

**Hey guys! Good to see you again :D :D I'm so sorry for the late update, I was kinda busy last week and was stuck as to how I should progress the story but it's okay now, I've figured out the right plot for it.**

**Thank you for reading, following, making it your favorite story and reviewing :D Special thanks to Psyka, SimplyIsabelleS and Mandy422 :D Love you guys XD**

**This chapter's super long -_- The longest I've ever written (more than 8000 words ) , I wanted to cut it in two but I couldn't find the right place to cut it :D I hope you don't mind.**

**Sorry for the grammar errors :D I tried my best and I'll fix it when I re-read.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 9 - Old friend, New event**

Natsu was standing at the door, his eyes scanned the whole class. Nobody moved or spoke anything, all eyes focused on him before his face stretched a wide grin.

"I'm home." – And everybody broke into loud cheers and claps. Fairy Tail's building was like there was an earthquake and Natsu was in the middle of the blockade of his classmates. People were patting his chest, his back, saying a ton of 'Welcome back' to him.

"Natsu, fight meee, you're not gonna get away this time, Pinky." – Gray shouted, then pointed a finger at his face. Natsu narrowed his eyes.

"Get away? Are you implying that I'm a coward?"

"You said it yourself." – Gray smirked and Natsu cracked his knuckles.

"Bring it on, Stripper." – He rolled up his sleeves and they was about to rush at each other when they felt Erza's death glare across the room. Both of them sweatdropped and halted immediately.

"I…I mean ….Good to have you back." – Gray looked at Erza apologetically and patted Natsu's back slightly. Natsu laughed nervously then put an arm around Gray's shoulder.

"Y…Yeah, H…hi Erza, long time no see." – He waved at Erza and his eyes suddenly widened when he saw the girl standing next to her. He blinked to take a better look at her. _Is that ...?_

"LUCY!" – He yelled then ran at her to give her a bear hug.

"Lucy, you're here, I can't believe it!" - He lifted her up and spun her around.

"Okay Natsu, you're choking her, let her go." – Erza said firmly, then tried to make him let her go.

"I can't believe you're here either ...We met each other in America." – Lucy coughed then grinned widely at him and said to everyone in the room, who was staring at them in question. They cheered and clapped again, although she didn't know why.

"Good to see you again, Lucy." - Natsu gave her a toothy grin and Lucy laughed softly.

"You, too."

* * *

><p><strong>[Lunch break]<strong>

"So, how did you guys meet?" – Erza asked her.

She, Lucy, Natsu, and Gray were sitting on their usual table at the canteen on lunch break. They were kinda curious to know how did those two become friends. Natsu went to Fiore two years ago, but he got a sport scholarship in America in his second year. That's a golden opportunity for him to be trained in the best conditions, so he left Fiore when there were three more months before the school's year ended. Master Makarov sent him a private tutor so he still could continue studying according to Fiore's syllabus.

Lucy smiled, but she was a little hesitant.

"Well, uhm … he ... saved me."

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<strong>

**[9 months ago]**

_Lucy was strolling down the street, trying to find the right way. She insisted that she would go to school by subway instead of a car like her father had told her to. She didn't like the attention she received every time she walked out of her father's limo. She hated it here, she missed her friends back home and just wanted to go back as soon as possible, but … it had been more than a year and still no sign that her father had finished his business in here. _

_Lucy looked around, she didn't know if she was on the right way, it was darker than usual, her phone was out of battery so she couldn't call home. _

Great.

_She halted in an empty crossing and wondered where should she go, she decided to turn right, but regretted it immediately. In the small alley, there were three men talking and laughing together and they didn't look very … friendly, seeing that tattoos covered all over their bodies, they wore earrings and one of them was puffing at a cigarette. Lucy turned around and walked away as quickly as possible, but they had noticed her the moment they saw her face. Their laughter died down and Lucy knew that they were following her. _

Shit.

_"Hey babe, where are ya going, come have some fun with us." One of them called her._

_She ignored them and walked faster._

_"Don't ignore us like that doll, c'mon, come with us, I'll get ya home." - They said then laughed together cruelly. _

_Lucy started to run, but they were faster. One of them grabbed her arm and spun her around, they surrounded her, blocking her way. One had a scar on his face, one was stunk with smoke, and the one who was holding her arm had red hair. They looked older than her about 4 or 5 years._

_"Let me go." – Lucy yelled, then tried to yank her arm away from his grasp, but to no avail. She tried to call for help, but Red-hair covered her mouth with his filthy hand._

_"Ooh, feisty." – Stinky eyed her from top to bottom then licked his lips – "I like it." – He approached her, trying to touch her chest, but she stepped her heel on his foot, which made him yelp in pain. Next, she swung her leather briefcase in Red-hair's face, made him lost his balance. Scar-face held her from behind then pulled her hair roughly and she cried out. _

_"Bitch!" – Red-hair rubbed his face then slapped her and Stinky gave her a punch in the stomach. _

_She coughed, then lifted her head and kicked Red-hair in the face again, breaking his nose. She tried to kick Stinky in the groin, but, unfortunately, he caught her leg and gave her another punch in the stomach. Scar-face strangled her neck, choking her, yet, before she blacked out from lack of oxygen, she fell on the ground. Her eyes blurred and she blinked to clear them. Lucy saw a guy that was fighting on all sides among three of them, and just a minute later, he was the only one who still stood firm on his feet. He knelt in front of her, eyes full of worry._

_"Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?"_

_"Ye… yeah, I'm… I'm fine." – Lucy managed to say and he sighed in relief._

_"Thank you." – She said and smiled a small smile at him. He smiled back, then helped her stand up, he pulled out his phone to call 911._

_"You're welcome." – He said then checked her up to see if there was any serious injure. She held her stomach in pain but other than that, she was fine._

_"What are you doing here? It's not safe for a girl to stroll on this street at this time, you know." – He frowned, noticing some purple hand prints on her arm as well as her red cheek. _

_"Sorry, I was lost." – She mumbled. She was lucky that she had met him when he was passing by, she didn't know what would happen to her if he didn't show up._

_"Where do you live? I'll get you home after we get to the nearest drugstore." – He offered._

_"Really? Thank you." – She said then bowed to express her appreciation, he scratched his head sheepishly then grinned at her._

_"It's nothing, don't worry. I'm Natsu Dragneel by the way." – He extended his hand for a handshake._

_"You're Japanese, that's great. Lucy Heartfilia, nice to meet you Natsu." – She took his hand and smiled. _

_It's good to have a countryman in this strange land._

**[End of Flash back]**

* * *

><p>"I was kinda surprised when I learned she was a Heartfilla." – Natsu spoke loudly and Lucy had to cover his mouth when some people turned to look at them. In America, it's fine when people knew that's she a Heartfilia, not like everyone knew who she was and she was there only temporarily, but it was different in here, she had to be careful.<p>

"Hush Natsu, they don't know I'm a Heartfilla, keep your voice down." – She gritted her teeth and he murmured an apology.

"What about those punks? Did they go to jail? I would have beat them to death if I were there." – Erza growled and slammed her hand on the table, which attracted more attention than anything before. Men who beat a girl were worse than scum.

"Ca …calm down Erza." – Lucy laughed nervously – "We called the police after that, I'm sure they got what they deserved." – She said and Erza nodded.

"I'm glad that you're okay but .. you should be more careful Lucy, things could be the same in Japan you know." – Gray said and crossed his arms. _Thanks God that Flame-brain was there. _He thought.

"Yeah, I know." – She nodded. She didn't tell neither her parents nor Sting and Rogue about that incident, because she didn't want to make them worry. Lucy and Natsu became friends after that, but they just saw each other twice or three times a week, because their study schedules were different. Though they still hanged out sometimes at weekends.

Now Lucy remembered that Natsu had told her about his school once, but she forgot its name. She called him when she was about to go back to Japan and they said that they would reunite again when he came back as well. Natsu had a very unique outlook with his pink hair and black eyes, he was handsome and funny in his own way, he was kind, strong, and very determined when he wanted something. That's why Lucy admired him.

Now all her friends were here, her life was back to normal from all those drama that happened a few weeks ago, Lucy felt kinda relieved, although she couldn't shake off the feeling that it was just a calm before the storm.

* * *

><p><strong>[At the basketball court]<strong>

"A party?" – Sting raised an eyebrow at Orga, they were practicing basketball for the Sport Congress.

"Yeah, they're going to celebrate the return of Natsu Dragneel this weekend, all Fairies will be there. It's been a long time, I guess." – Orga said, then passed the ball to Rogue. He jumped and threw the ball to the basket.

"Tsk… They make it sound like he hasn't returned for 10 years." – Sting rolled his eyes and told his friends to take a break.

"But now he has come back, we might as well have a little gift for him." – He thought then said, smirking. Rogue arched his eyebrow, that idiot was up to something again.

"Who wants to crash the party?" – He asked eagerly, making them look at one another but before they could nod their head in agree, Rogue cut them short.

"Are you sure you wanna do that? Lucy probably will be there too, she won't let you get away with that." – Rogue said calmly.

_Oh right, I forgot. _Sting thought.

"Is she really scary? Sting looks like he's scared of her." - Mamura asked innocently.

"Terrified." – Rogue nodded, then answered him swiftly before Sting could open his mouth.

"I'm not terrified of her!" – He glared at Rogue and Rogue inwardly rolled his eyes.

"Really? I saw her smack you and you didn't do anything about it." – Rufus stated wisely.

"Are you serious? I can't hit a girl." – Sting groaned, making a face.

"That's not the problem, the thing is she hit you and you just kept grinning like a masochist." – Rufus retorted back and they busted out laughing, even Rogue was snickering at him behind his palm. Sting was red like a tomato, he was kinda careless with his reputation when he was around her.

"Shut up." - He emphasized his words to make them stop laughing.

"Question, Sting: why don't you two let us talk to her, she seems nice and it's not like we will do anything bad to her, you know." – Rufus offered and they nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, why don't you let me talk to them?" – A voice appeared behind Sting, which almost made him jump out of his skin. Sting turned around, then gave her a look of surprise.

"Lucy? What are you doing here?

"Watching you practice, of course." – She smiled and quickly passed by him, moving to stand in front of Orga before he could stop her.

"Hi, I'm Lucy, a friend of Sting and Rogue, nice to meet you." – She extended her hand. Orga was dumbfounded, this is the first time a girl initiative talked to him, most of them were scared of him anyway. Before Orga could shake her hand and say 'hi' back, Rufus shoved him aside and took her hand, kissing it slightly.

"Hey..." – Orga cried out.

"Nice to meet you, too, Lucy-san." – He said then winked at her, making her blush.

"Oi, don't touch her." – Sting yelled but the boys ignored him, they were busy shaking hands with Lucy and asking her tons of question in their mind.

"Have you got a boyfriend yet?"

"How long have you been friends with them?"

"Do you like basketball?"

"Does Sting treat you well? 'Cuz I'll treat you... a million times better than him."

Lucy laughed softly, then answered them friendly. Sting crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, Rogue put a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, they won't hurt her, I can see they get along pretty well." – Rogue said calmly.

He was afraid that brutal and aggressive Tigers like them would get Lucy in trouble when he saw her coming near them, but… it could be either the fact that she was Sting and Rogue's friend so that those idiots were kind to her, or it was her own charm. Either way, it seemed like the two of them didn't have to worry about her safety when she was near their teammates. Sting sighed and let loose.

"Yeah."

"Okay, time's up, get back to work." – Sting called them.

"All right, later, Lucy." – They waved at her and started to practice again. Sting moved towards her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Hey, I heard that you guys are going to have a party this weekend?" – Lucy nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, to celebrate Natsu's come back, it'll be great... I can't wait!" – She smiled widely.

"You're also gonna be there?" – Rogue asked, standing next to her on the right.

"What do you mean I'm also gonna be there? Of course I'm gonna be there, he's my friend and I love to party, in case you forgot." – Lucy patted his chest with the back of her hand.

"Your friend? You've known each other before?" – Sting asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"Yeah, we met in America." – She said and they blinked – "He's very nice to me and he's funny, too. I like him." – She stated and they dropped their jaws.

"As a friend!" – She added and laughed at their faces.

"Oh…" - Sting said, feeling relieved. It's not like it was a big deal whether they knew each other or not, but Sting couldn't shake off the insecure feeling in his mind. Rogue noticed it and immediately changed the topic.

"Okay we have to get back to practice, later, Luce." – He patted her head and she grinned widely at him, Rogue quickly dragged Sting away from her. The idiot was over-reacting, he could see that.

* * *

><p><strong>[Sting's house]<strong>

"Urrrrggggg… it's so boring, Rogue." – Sting groaned. He was lying on Rogue's bed, in Rogue's room, bothering the black-haired guy when he was doing his homework.

"Go watch TV, play games or something and leave me alone, Sting." – Rogue said to drive him away, but it had no effect on Sting.

"TV is boring, games are boring, and something is boring, too." – He grumbled.

"I wish Lucy hadn't come to that party, we could hang out. It's Friday, after all." – Rogue didn't say anything, letting him talk to himself.

_I wonder what's she doing. Is she having fun? Does that stripper annoy her? Do some punks flirt with her? Is there something going on between her and Natsu-san?_

He thought then grunted and Rogue rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Hey... Lucy didn't say that we couldn't be there, right?" – He said then got up.

Rogue stopped whatever he was doing, then turned around half way to look at him.

"Are you nuts? It's a Fairy Tail's party, of course we can't be there even though she didn't say it."

"Aww c'mon, Lucy said that we shouldn't make a big deal out of the hostility between two guilds, you know." – Sting said and Rogue arched his eyebrow at Sting, who was grinning like a mad-man.

That was a perfect excuse to be there without turning Lucy to his bad side, after what happened in Tenrou Island, Sting just wanted to be near her all the time and he knew that he had to make her his, he had to try no matter what the result would be.

Rogue sighed then shook his head.

"Fine but… don't cause any trouble." – He warned Sting.

"Tsk ... you said like you don't care. But you're curious, too, right? About her and Natsu-san." - Sting rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." - Rogue said indifferently.

So they changed their clothes, grabbed their coat, and walked out of the door, but not before Sting wrote some messages to his teammates.

* * *

><p><strong>[15 minutes later]<strong>

"Are you sure they're gonna let us in?" – Rufus asked, he pulled out an elastic string to tie his hair.

"They invited everyone so if they don't let us in, they are discriminatory. Besides, Lucy is in there, she'll welcome us." – Sting smirked.

"Yeah, but if you start a fight or Orga starts singing, she'll kick us out faster than a rocket." – Rogue deadpanned. They laughed out loud and Orga turned to glare at him.

"My singing ability is just fine, thank you very much." - Sting snickered on that.

"Don't mess around, you'll have plenty of chances to play with those Fairies but not tonight." - Sting said and all of them nodded.

There were more than 20 members of Sabertooth who were following Sting, his intention was to call just his teammates, but thanks to the Internet, Twitter, and Facebook, there they were. Sting pushed the door open and the bass of dancing music immediately beat their chests.

They were in Fairy Tail's bar, the biggest bar in Fiore Academy. It was decorated in Western style and full of people, he could see some faces were from Mermaid Heel, some guys were flirting with girls, they were probably from Blue Pegasus. Screaming, cheering, booing, laughing people and music blended together and he couldn't imagine anything else more chaotic. Sabertooth members walked in and they looked like they were about to engage in battle or something. Some conscious people – who didn't put alcohol into their system yet – recognized them and they immediately stopped what they were doing.

* * *

><p>"Hey Mira, have you seen Lucy?" – Natsu sat on the stool, looking around to find his friend.<p>

"Oh Lucy, she went to the restroom with Levi." – Mira smiled. Mirajane Strauss aka Mira was a former member of Fairy Tail from four years ago. She had a younger brother – Elfman Strauss, who had graduated last year, and a baby sister – Lisanna Strauss, who was now a member of F1. This bar was owned by her family and besides being a bartender, sometimes a singer, she was also a famous model.

Natsu nodded, then grabbed his beer. The party was going well, it was fun, that's what he was missing when he was still in America. It felt so good to be home, with his father and friends. Seeing Lucy again was a very nice surprise, he missed her too. Although they only met a few times, it was like they had been friends since forever and he liked her, more than she knew.

"Hey Pink *hic*.. come ..*hic*... fight me, I want to punch *hic* your ugly *hic* face!" – Gray said and struggled to keep his balance by putting an arm around Natsu, but it slipped. They both fell and Gray was on top of him. His lips were near Natsu's cheek and a strain of saliva was about to drop on the pink-haired guy's face.

"Get off me, Popsicle…" – Natsu cried out, tried to push him away and stood up but froze when he saw who was standing in front of him.

"W.. what… are y..you doing to Gray-sama?" – She stammered with a red face. It was Juvia.

"A… Are you… two… dare... in public? AAARRGGGGG..." – Juvia shouted, then covered her eyes, her imagination had a chance to work again.

Juvia Lockser, the newest member of Fairy Tail, transferred from Bosco. She fell in love with Gray at the first sight and couldn't help but stalked him ever since, Gray still didn't realize her feeling yet (or perhaps he chose to ignore it?)

"Okay, Juvia, stop that right there!" – Natsu yelled then kicked Gray away from him and Gray lost his consciousness.

"He's drunk, we fell, and that's gross." He cried out and made a disgusted face.

"How dare you kick Gray-sama like that! Gray-sama, wake up, are you okay?" – She glared at him then tried to wake Gray up by shaking him. Natsu waved his hand then walked away.

_Better get back to the party. _He thought then looked around to find Gajeel to have an arm wrestling, but … he bumped into someone, he muttered a 'Sorry' but regretted it immediately. That's not someone he wanted to apologize to, ever.

"Sting Eucliffe?" – He said coldly and the noise died down.

"Oh, Natsu Dragneel, good to see you again, it's been a while, right?" – Sting smirked.

"What are you doing here?" – They both crossed their arms, Natsu with his narrowed eyes and Sting with his usual smug expression.

"To enjoy the party of course. As far as I know, Fairy Tail invited everyone, so … that's why we're here." – He said, moved to walk around, pretending like he was surveying the decoration of the bar.

"You and your friends are not welcomed here." – Natsu said calmly.

"Oh? Isn't that a little bit unfair, I didn't hear people said that Sabertooth's members couldn't be here, right guys?" – He said and Tigers cheered in agreement, but everyone else still didn't utter a word.

It's been a long time since Fairy Tail and Sabertooth's last confrontation. Although the trip to Tenrou Island had eased their tension to the acceptable level, that was before Natsu came back. So in short, both guilds' members were close to friends, but still remained rivals in many levels and that's not gonna change any time soon. Natsu gave him a point look, he walked to stand in front of Sting and spoke quietly so Sting was the only one who could hear him. Natsu's fists clenched, but his face was calm.

"Fine, but if you pick a quarrel with anybody in Fairy Tail, that would be the last thing you do in here, Sting Eucliffe, are we clear?"

Sting's smirk widened – "Crystal." – They were staring at each other for a minute when a voice resounded.

"Okay, the show is over, get back to the party people." – Gajeel's voice echoed through the bar and everybody got back to having fun. It seemed like everything was back to good.

"What's going on here?" – Lucy moved towards them and her eyes widened when she saw Sting, Rogue, and their friends. Levi and Gajeel were following closely behind, Gajeel arched his eyebrow but Rogue just gave him a bored look. Natsu moved to hold her arms, blocking her way out of Sting's sight, he didn't know why, he just followed his instinct, but too bad for him, Lucy already saw them. Sting and Rogue were looking daggers at him.

"Sting? Guys? What are you doing here?" – Lucy asked, smiling and waving at the boys.

"You know them?" – Natsu asked with a tone of surprise.

_Oh he didn't know? _Sting thought. _Better explain to him shall we? _He looked back at Rogue and they shared a look. Rogue sneered, then nodded slightly.

"Luccccyyyy, we're here to join the party of course, your friend has been very kind to us so far." – Sting said, then he and Rogue moved to stand near Lucy. Sting put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek while Rogue held her waist and kissed her hair. They both smirked at Natsu who looked like he was about to bust, Gajeel's face was unreadable, and Levi blinked; she felt like she was in a dramatic scene in one of her favorite novel.

"Stay away from her!" - Natsu almost shouted at them. He came closer to give them a piece of his mind, but Lucy quickly put her hand on his chest to calm him down. The duo chuckled at him.

"Wait, wait, wait, Natsu, it's okay, they're my friends." – She said before Natsu had a chance to protest.

"How do you know them?" – Natsu frowned and asked again.

"We're childhood friends, we've known each other for a veeerrry loooooong time ~" Sting said in his sing-song voice. He was enjoying it, it was good to see that Natsu Dragneel was still hot-tempered like before.

"Now, if you don't mind, we have to steal her for a minute, have fun, guys." – He bid his friends a goodbye and Rogue dragged her away.

"Later, Natsu!" – Lucy waved at him.

"Childhood friends, huh?" – Gajeel murmured behind Natsu. He sighed, his composure was back to normal.

"As long as they don't do something funny, then it's fine." – Natsu looked at them until they disappeared into the crowd and loud noise rose again. He didn't like the over - familiar attitude those two just expressed towards Lucy. It annoyed him, but he guessed that couldn't be helped. He didn't have the reason to part them away from Lucy, not when they were her childhood friends. Natsu suddenly turned around and shouted at Gajeel.

"Gajeel, I want a rematch, my arm slipped last time." – Gajeel snorted.

"Tsk, not now, I'm busy." – He took Levi's hand and walked away.

"Oh, you're chickening out to suck face of your girlfriend, that's gross and not very manly, you know." – Natsu mocked, grinning like he had just won a lottery. He knew how to get under this guy's skin.

"I don't chicken out." – Gajeel gritted his teeth.

"Then I want a rematch." – Natsu's eyes narrowed

"Fine, if that make you shut up, Pinky."

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever, Pinky."

Levi looked at them and sighed, just like the old times. _Would they ever stop?_

* * *

><p>Sting and Rogue walked closer to Lucy when the trio stopped. Sting glared at every guy who eyed Lucy from the top to the bottom.<p>

"I thought you guys didn't want to be here, why didn't you tell me when I was at the basketball court?"

"Well we just felt like it when we were at home, so we decided to come at the 91 minutes." – Rogue smiled – "You look pretty by the way."

Lucy was wearing a pair of light blue jeans shorts, hugging her legs perfectly, and a white sheer shirt with black collar that was tucked into her shorts. The sleeves rolled to her elbows and she picked cowboy boots to complete her outfit. Her hair were tied with a blue ribbon.

Lucy blushed at the compliment and smiled at him – "Thanks, Rogue, you two look handsome, too".

Rogue and Sting's clothes were just casual: black shirt, denim pants for Rogue and white stripe shirt with blue jeans for Sting, they both wore black converses All Star. It's a Fairy Tail's party after all, they didn't like something's too fancy, too motley. A party to them means beer, music, fight, and fun.

"Is this me or these punks are stripping you with their eyes, like … they haven't seen a girl wearing shorts their whole life." – Sting glared at another boy and the poor boy looked away in fear. Well, not that you could see the Lucy Love (/Heartfilia) wearing something less modest than uniform everyday, they had to take the chance, right? Beauty is an unlimited resource and wasting it means guilt, that's what they say.

"Give them a break Sting, it's normal at a party like this. Erza received even worse ogling, but she didn't mind, you can't even imagine the way they look at her with her super short cocktail dress. They were all having nosebleed when she walked by." – Lucy snickered at the scene which happened just a while ago, it was quite funny actually and from that Lucy discovered Erza's new super power: killing people without using her sword, just by her outfit.

They stopped at the bar, Mira was serving a group of Blue Pegasus' members, so they waited.

"Well, not me… " – Sting looked around and smirked, putting on his usual smug face.

"Oh yeah? Just wait till you see her." – She said and Sting's smirk widened. He leaned forward to the level of her ear and whispered in it, tugging a strain of her hair behind her ear, his hot breath fanned her cheek, his eyes fixed on the person across the bar who had red hair.

"You're the only one I will ever have a nosebleed for if you wear the same short red cocktail dress that hugs your curve flawlessly, splits to your middle thigh, exposes the back as Erza's."

Lucy's eyes widened and by instinct she spun around to find Erza. The girl was sitting at the opposite side of the bar, talking to Jellal. She grinned at the couple and turned back to arch an eyebrow at him.

"Real smooth huh? Tell me how many girls have heard you said that?"

"Just you." – He shrugged.

"Not even the girl you're having your eyes on?" – She asked and narrowed her eyes slightly. _Nice one Luce. _She told herself, she felt a little embarrassed when she heard him said that, so she changed the subject to cover her blush, even though the subject was not very likeable to her.

"Well… that's the different case." – _Although I will also have a nosebleed if _she _wore that dress too, she's the same person after all. _He chuckled at the thought and Lucy frowned. She found his amusement annoying so she kicked his stool, made him fall flat on his butt.

"What the hell, Luce?" – He cried out and she covered her mouth to restrain her laugh.

"Ooops, sorry, my leg slipped." – She grinned mockingly then looked at Rogue over her shoulder, he was chuckling, watching their exchange closely. She took his hand and pulled him out of his seat.

"C'mon, dance with me, Rogue." – Rogue blinked. Dancing was not something he was very fond of.

"Heyyy, don't just leave me here like this, somebody from your guild might kidnap me, you know." – Sting stood up, brushing off some invisible dust on this pants and shouted after her.

"Sorry, don't care." – She shouted back and walked into the crowd. Sting shook his head and sat back on the stool.

"Can I get you something?" – Mira's voice interrupted his silence.

"Sweet beer, please." – He said and she grabbed a glass, pouring him some red liquid.

"Childhood friends?" – She asked and he nodded.

"So have I heard. I also heard that you're a scary guy, but as far as I can see, you're different from what they say." – He looked back at her and she smiled. Sting gave her a skeptical look and she smiled again, this time a little bit enigmatically.

"I know the look that you gave her. My boyfriend – Laxus - has the same look whenever I see him." – She giggled when Sting blushed slightly at the implying.

"N..no, we're …not …like … that." – He stuttered and she shrugged.

"Like what?" – She said innocently and he knew she was teasing him.

"Nothing" – He sighed, then lifted his glass again, looked back at the dance floor to find Lucy and Rogue. Mira giggled and turned to another customer.

* * *

><p>"Errr Lucy? How could we dance when there isn't any music." – Rogue asked, Lucy was looking around, trying to find the DJ.<p>

"Where the hell is him? We got a DJ and here I can't hear any music since you guys walked in." – Lucy grumbled. – "And his songs suck, too." Well not like people cared anyway, they just need something to beat in their ears real loudly.

"Oh, there he is." – Lucy said and narrowed her eyes at the dark-blond messy hair guy who was flirting with some girls from Mermaid Heel. She approached him and Rogue followed closely behind. They hired him here to bring music, not pay him to flirt with girls.

"Hey!" – Lucy called, but he didn't notice her.

"HEY!" – She called again, but he ignored her again, Lucy pulled his sleeve and finally got his attention. He was having a moment with these beauties and some kid had the gut to interrupt him, he turned around, annoyed. – "What?" – But his eyebrows stretched when he saw who was standing in front of him. He smiled sweetly again.

"My my, what a goddess." – He moved nearer and grabbed her hand.

"How may I help you, my lady?" – He looked at her, trying to mesmerize her with his black eyes, but it didn't work. Lucy just sweatdropped at his change of attitude, she tried to heave her hand back, but he didn't let go. He was about to kiss it, yet another arm yanked Lucy's hand away from his grasp, Rogue pulled Lucy closer to him, glaring deadly at the guy with his red eyes.

"Stay away from her." – He said coldly. The guy flinched slightly, but regained his composure quickly. He smiled civilly.

"Oh flower had pot already, sorry if I crossed the line." – Rogue didn't say anything, just standing between him and Lucy.

"N...no, it's fine, we're friends, he doesn't mean anything, really" – She said and tried to ease the tension. The guy looked back at Rogue and smirked secretly. _Possessive much? _He thought.

"By the way, could you stop flirting and give us some music please, that's what you're here right Mr …?" – Lucy said, hands on her hips, back to business again.

"Hibiki Lates from Blue Pegasus." – He said and brought out his hand. Lucy eyed his hand suspiciously.

"Don't worry I just want a handshake." - He snickered.

"Oh." – Lucy mumbled and relaxed again. – "Nice to meet you, I'm Lucy, from Fairy Tail."

"I know, you're quite popular, you know that…" – He smiled at her, then looked at Rogue and diverted his hand in front of him, expecting a handshake, too. – "Rogue Cheney from Sabertooth, right? Nice to meet you, too."

Rogue inwardly rolled his eyes then spun around and walked away, not even spared him another glance.

"That's rude." – Hibiki murmured.

"Sorry, he's always like that. Anyway, here's my playlist, hit it." – She gave him her Iphone and he nodded. That was not a suggestion, it was a command. He plugged in and played it.

* * *

><p>"Hey Rogue, ROGUE!" – Lucy shouted his name until she caught up with him, however, the music had started and he couldn't hear her.<p>

"Hey, what's wrong?" – She grabbed his arm

_It's going down, I'm yelling timber_  
><em>You better move, you better dance<em>  
><em>Let's make a night you won't remember<em>  
><em>I'll be the one you won't forget<em>

Rogue raised his eyebrows at her.

"Nothing, I'm fine." – He smiled and assured her.

"Are you sure? Tell me if something's wrong, okay?" – She insisted and he smiled, then rubbed her hair.

"Music is playing, dance, Rogue." – She pulled his arm and began to shake her body.

"I don't dance, Lucy." – People were dancing all around him and Rogue was the only one standing like a log. It's kinda awkward if you asked him, he didn't dance. He didn't know how, actually.

_Swing your partner round and round__  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>  
><em>One more shot, another round<em>  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>_

_Swing your partner round and round__  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>  
><em>One more shot, another round<em>  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>_

"You're so stiff, it's a party, what are you doing here if you don't dance!" - Lucy laughed lightly at him - "C'mon, show me what you got." – She stepped back, put one hand in the air, sway her hips around, and smirked at him.

Lucy shook her head to the music, her hair followed her movement, colorful light beamed her face, giving her a mysterious aura. She blew a kiss at him and Rogue smiled, the way she was dancing was so lively, the exact opposite to him. She was always like that, so different from him. He was cold, he was rigid, he was rude, but Lucy … she was warm, she was tender, and she was kind. Maybe that's why he was attracted to her.

It seemed like she was tired of him standing there, staring at her like that, so she moved to draw him closer, took his hands and swung him around.

_It's going down, I'm yelling timber_  
><em>You better move, you better dance<em>  
><em>Let's make a night you won't remember<em>  
><em>I'll be the one you won't forget<em>

She laughed again when he tried to keep his balance. She moved back and forth, trying to engage him into dancing. Well, his body was moving, but not because of the music. It was because of her, so her efforts still didn't work.

She spun him around and around, almost made him feel dizzy, then pushed him away, but kept his hand in hers and pulled him closer immediately. His body hit hers and he blushed slightly at the contact. She laughed out loud, then put her arms around his neck to keep him in place and continued to make (more like force) him to dance.

"Dance, Rogue, for me." - She shouted through the loud music.

_Swing your partner round and round_  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>  
><em>One more shot, another round<em>  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>

_Swing your partner round and round_  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>  
><em>One more shot, another round<em>  
><em>End of the night, it's going down<em>

She swayed again and there was no way he couldn't stand still with her arms clamp around him like this...

"Seeeee~, you're dancing!" – She beamed at his reluctant movement.

Although he still didn't feel very comfortable, he had to admit it was fun. For a moment, he forgot all the things around him, all the trouble, all the thought, it was just him and her, dancing goofily like two idiots. Rogue smiled, his arms hugged her waist, keeping her closer, the warmth from his hand spread all over her back and Lucy felt her heart was racing again. He swung her around, she was taken off guard and almost fell, but he kept her balance. They both laughed at each other, seemed like coming to this party wasn't a bad idea after all.

* * *

><p>"Beer, please." – A voice said and a figure appeared beside Sting.<p>

"Having fun?" – He looked to the right and asked him.

"Yeah." – Rogue grabbed the glass and answered.

"I didn't know you like dancing?" – Sting arched an eyebrow at him.

"I don't, Lucy made me but it was fun anyway." – He admitted.

"Where is she?"

"She was talking to her friends" – He paused then looked at Sting.

"Do you think _he_ likes her?"

"I'm not sure, perhaps, according to the way he looked at us when we kissed her, it's the same way you looked at the DJ guy when he tried to kiss her hand…" - Sting shrugged.

Rogue didn't say anything, just stared at him.

"What are you gonna do if he does like her?"

"Nothing." – He shrugged again and Rogue raised his eyebrows.

"Will you ever tell her about your feelings? Do it as soon as possible, before it's too late, and if you won't, you're gonna regret it for the rest of your life." – He said, loudly enough to reach Sting's ear through the loud music.

"I will, I'm just waiting for the right moment, but I will." – Sting said firmly. Yeah, he finally decided that he would tell her, everything, about his past and about his feelings for her. Whether she accepted it or not, it was fine, at least he had followed his heart.

"Where are you going?" – Sting asked when Rogue read a message from his phone, then stood up.

"To the airport, father's home."

"I'll go with you." – Sting was about to leave too, but Rogue stopped him.

"It's okay, stay with Luce, we'll meet at home, tell her I'll go first." – Rogue bid him a goodbye and left, leaving Sting watching his retreat figure.

"So you do have feelings for her." – Mira suddenly said behind him and Sting groaned.

"You eavesdropped on our exchange?"

"I didn't, you just talked too loud, somebody might have heard you, too." – Mira smiled at his grumpy face.

"Want some romantic moments with her? I can give you that, how about a dance?"

Sting looked kinda surprised.

"Why?"

"Why what?" – Mira asked, the smile never slipped from her face.

"Why would you do that? You barely know me, we're not friends."

"But Lucy is my friend, she's happy when she's with you guys, I can see that in her eyes." - She then walked away, but not before she looked back at Sting and said.

"Ask her to dance before someone else gets the chance." – She winked. He blinked then looked around to find Lucy and quickly approached her when he saw Natsu was talking to her.

* * *

><p>"They have two cats? I have one too, his name's Happy" – Natsu gave her a toothy grin, they were talking about her <em>childhood friends <em>a.k.a Sting and Rogue. According to her, they seemed not so bad, they treated her well, too well actually. But he didn't like the fact that they were so close together, it proved another thing, though: that Natsu only just met her, almost a year ago. A mere year couldn't be compared with ten years, there's so much about her that he still didn't know. She told him once in America that she had two best friends in the world, her childhood friends, but he had assumed that _they _were _girls_. Who would have thought that her friends would be _boys_, Sabertooth's members, by the way.

"Yeah, you three could be good friends, you guys have a lot in common." – Lucy beamed and Natsu made a face.

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"You know … The animosity status between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail originate in our animosity from the first place." – Natsu said.

"Oh." – Lucy nodded and thought for a moment. _Maybe I could do something about it._

She was about to ask him something when she heard the tune of piano is playing.

"Hey, it's my favorite song." – She smiled, Mira was on the stage, she looked at Lucy and winked at her. Mira has an angel voice if you ask her.

"What song is it?" – Natsu asked, looking at her radiant smile.

"_True colors_ by Michelle Chamuel, she's obsessed with this song right from when she heard it on The Voice US." – Sting answered before she got a chance. Lucy turned around and grinned at him, he smiled back then grabbed her hand and walked away from Natsu, leaving him dumbfounded.

"Hey..." He shouted at them, but Sting ignored him.

"W ... wait Sting, I was talking to him, that's rude."

Sting led her to the center of the dance floor, he took her arms and put them around his neck, then held her waist.

"Dance with me, I had to take you away before he stole you." – Sting said quietly and she laughed softly.

_You with the sad eyes_  
><em>Don't be discouraged<em>  
><em>Oh I realize<em>  
><em>It's hard to take courage<em>  
><em>In a world full of people<em>  
><em>You can lose sight of it all<em>  
><em>And the darkness inside you<em>  
><em>Can make you feel so small<em>

_But I see your true colors_  
><em>Shining through<em>  
><em>I see your true colors<em>  
><em>And that's why I love you<em>  
><em>So don't be afraid to let them show<em>  
><em>Your true colors<em>  
><em>True colors are beautiful<em>  
><em>Like a rainbow<em>

They looked into each other's eyes, blue met chocolate-brown ones and it was like nothing else in this world mattered anymore. That is the magical power of music and feelings when they blend together. Lucy felt a tug at her heart, she smiled sweetly at him and he smiled back. Lucy trailed her middle finger from his eye, down his cheek then touched his lips, leaving a hot path on Sting's face, she mumbled his name.

"Sting?"

"Huhm?" – He hummed, looking into her eyes, trying to figure it out what she was thinking.

"Can I ask you something?" – He nodded slightly.

"Does _she _make you feel happy?" – _Do I make you feel happy? _She asked quietly, Lucy really didn't know why she asked that, she was still trying to understand all of her chaotic feelings lately when she was near him and the question just popped in her mind. Somehow, the answer seemed important to her.

"Yes, she makes me really … really happy." – _Truly happy. _Sting knew who she was talking about.

_Show me a smile then_  
><em>Don't be unhappy, can't remember<em>  
><em>When I last saw you laughing<em>  
><em>If this world makes you crazy<em>  
><em>And you've taken all you can bear<em>  
><em>You call me up<em>  
><em>Because you know I'll be there<em>

_And I'll see your true colors_  
><em>Shining through<em>  
><em>I see your true colors<em>  
><em>I see your true colors<em>  
><em>And that's why I love you<em>  
><em>So don't be afraid to let them show<em>  
><em>Your true colors<em>

"Is she … the only one … who could make you feel happy?" – Lucy bit her lips and looked at the ground.

_Yes, she's the only one. _He stroked her hair then lifted her chin to look at her face again. _Are you feeling insecure Lucy? _She was uncomfortable with the question, he could see it._ Does that mean you feel the same way about me like I feel about you?_. He was not sure, he's still not sure, but …

"Of course not, I still have my family… and I still have you. You make me feel happy too" - He didn't want her to feel self-doubting, whatever the reason was.

"You're the best thing that has ever happened to me." – She blushed at his words and he smiled at her cuteness

"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice ..." – He kissed her cheek and hugged her tight like he was afraid that she would disappeared if he didn't hug her tighter _… But falling in love with you was beyond my control. _

_I can see your true colors_  
><em>And that's why I love you<em>  
><em>So don't be afraid<em>  
><em>To let them show<em>  
><em>Your true colors<em>  
><em>True colors<em>  
><em>True colors<em>  
><em>Are Beautiful like the Rainbow<em>

"Thanks to you, I can be myself when I'm around you. You make me smile, you make me feel peace. You always make me feel happy Lucy." – _You can see through me Luce. _He murmured through her hair and she smiled again. That was enough for her, knowing that she also could be _that person,_ too, the person who could make him feel happy. She leaned on his chest, feeling his heart's beat though her hand.

_Even if we can't be lovers, we will always be friends … and that's all the matter. _He thought, but felt a pang of disappointment in his heart. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. _Please … don't run away from me when I give you my heart completely. _

_I love you Lucy, always have and always will._

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile]<strong>

"Rogue, good to see you again, son." – Weisslogia patted the brunet's back slightly. – "You came to pick me up, how thoughtful. Where is Sting?"

"I told him I would come alone father, he's ... busy." - Rogue said carefully and the man nodded.

Weisslogia had just got down from the airplane about 5 minutes ago. They were standing at the airport, ready to go home, but then Rogue noticed a woman following closely behind his father. He titled his head to look at her and his eyes widened.

_Golden hair, green eyes… She looks like…_

"Oh, I forgot, Rogue, meet your future step-mother, Hazumi Weisslogia. We're engaged." - He said and the woman smiled.

_… Mom… _Rogue had to use all of his control so his jaw wouldn't drop to the ground.

_… Sting won't like this…_

**End of chapter 9**

* * *

><p><strong>The first song I used was <strong>_**Timber **_by _**Ke$ha ft Pitbull**_

**The second song was **_**True Colors**_by_**Phils Collin**_** but I used the covered version by **_**Michelle Chamuel**_**. She sang beautifully and I-just-had to put it in this chapter :D**

**It's 11 PM right now and I'm so tired so sorry for the errors again :D**

**I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you guys :D**

**I'll see you next time.**

**Have a good day/night.**


	10. Chapter 10 - A father's heart

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 10 - A father's heart  
><strong>

"So... Sting, have you found out what college you're going to join at the end of the year?" – Hazumi said, smiling.

…

"Sting, answer your mother question." – Weisslogia said firmly. Sting glanced coldly at his father.

"She's not my mother." – He murmured, then got back to his steak. It was a usual (well not so usual) Saturday and Weisslogia family was having dinner with the new future woman of the house.

"Yes, she is, we're engaged and she'll soon take care of you so you'd better get used to it."

Sting didn't say anything, he snorted in disgust…

* * *

><p><strong>[20 hours ago]<strong>

_"Thank you for taking me back to my dorm, I'm glad that you came. Tell Rogue that I said good night" – Lucy beamed._

_She really did a pretty good job as enjoying both companies from Sabertooth and Fairy Tail. Nothing bad happened, although she didn't have the chance to talk much to Natsu because Sting just kept dragging her around the bar to avoid him. She couldn't do much about that but shaking her head at him, she wanted to ask Sting about him and Natsu but maybe not today, the time wasn't right. After that, he escorted her back to her room, it was already 10 PM._

_"No problem." – He said then kissed her forehead – "Good night, Luce." - She waved at him then closed the door. He sighed in content, smiling, but the vibration from his phone interrupted the smile from stretching wider. It was a text from Rogue._

'Go home, now.'

Geeze, bossy.

_Sting rolled his eyes and quickly left Fairy Tail building. Father must have been home a while ago, Sting kinda missed him although he didn't express much. Weisslogia was actually not his biological father, he was Sting's step father. He married Sting's mother when Sting was five. Wesslogia was an orphan, having lived in the orphanage his whole life. He became a man without love from parents, but from sisters at the local church in Bosco. He started his career as a business man in Fiore when he was 26 and met Sting's mother three years later. He loved Sting like his own son and Sting looked up to him so much._

_Sting got home 15 minutes later, he was about to push the door, but it suddenly opened._

_Rogue stood there, looking at him expressionless like usual, but Sting could detect a trail of worry in his eyes._

_"Father's home, he's in the living room." – He said and stepped aside so Sting could walk in._

_"Is something wrong, Rogue?" – Sting asked him in confusion._

_"Yes, but… take it easy, okay?" - Rogue pushed Sting to the living room slightly. Sting frowned at him quizzically, but didn't say anything. He grinned at his father._

_"Dad, you're… home." – He halted when he saw the woman sitting next to Weisslogia._

_"Aaah, Sting... Come, come… It's good to see you again." – Weisslogia stood up and hugged his son, Sting's eyes still glued to the woman._

_"Sting, I'd like to introduce you to your future mother, Hazumi Weisslogia. We're engaged a week ago."_

_Hazumi smiled at him, she then brought out her hand, waiting for him to shake it._

_"Nice to meet you, son."_

_His eyes were wide opened, he suddenly felt hard to breath and everything around him darkened._ She… mother? _The woman looked ridiculously like his mother with golden hair, green eyes, high cheekbones, she wore a blue sundress – his mother favorite color. Weisslogia looked at him worriedly, this was the reaction that he had expected._

_"I thought you said you loved mom?" - Sting asked coldly._

_"I do... I mean I did, but I think it's time for me to move on." - He replied carefully._

_"Move one? By choosing someone looks exactly like my mom? Engage without telling us first? That's how you move on?"_

_"Sting, I'm sorry. I know it's a bit rush but… I think it's time for you to have-"_

_"WHO THE HECK IS SHE?" – Sting screamed at his father and the woman flinched slightly. He glared fiercely at Hazumi and Weisslogia quickly pulled the woman behind him._

_"Sting, calm down." – Rogue put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off._

_"Sting, listen to me, we-"_

_"YOU'RE ENGAGED? WHAT KIND OF SICK JOKE IS THIS?" – He was angry, no… he was furious. _

_Weisslogia was silent, he waited for Sting to chill out patiently, he knew this announcement would shock his son to the core._

_"Sting, low your voice, just listen to him." - Rogue said, trying to calm him down._

_"Get-her-out, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE" – Sting shouted one last time then rushed at the woman, Weisslogia stepped back and Rogue moved to stand in front of him, pushing him back._

_"STING, CALM THE FUCKING DOWN." – Rogue yelled at him. _

_Sting was stunned for a moment, he hadn't heard Rogue talked so loud like this for a long time. He glared at him, but stopped nonetheless. Weisslogia looked at his son and wondered was this too soon to do this? But there was no turning back now so he closed his eyes and said slowly._

_"Sting, I know it's shock for you, but let me explain-"_

_"I don't want to hear any bullshit of your explanation."_

_"Watch your mouth, young man" – Weisslogia gritted his teeth._

_"Father, I think it's the best to talk in the morning, it's late now." – Rogue said and Wesslogia sighed, then nodded. _

_Sting didn't wait for another word from them, he turned around and went to his room, slamming the door closed._

_"Thank you, Rogue. Go back to bed, we'll talk tomorrow" – He patted Rogue's head slightly, Rogue glanced at the woman. He thought for a bit, then nodded at his father._

She didn't seem scared of Sting very much.

_"Good night, dad."_

_"Good night, Rogue."_

Tomorrow is gonna be a long day.

* * *

><p><strong>[The next morning, at Lucy's dorm] <strong>

Huhmm… so warm.

_Lucy murmured in her sleep, her bed had never been so warm like this before. She snuggled closer to her bolster, hand roaming all over it. _

Goshhh, why is this so warm? Huhmmm…so comfortable… wait, it's not very soft like usual, it's… kinda hard, bigger too… but it's so smooth… Feel so good... like… skin…. Skin?

_Lucy's eyes snapped open and were greeted by a… torso._

_"'Morning, beautiful"_

_"WHAT THE F-" – She was about to scream but the person covered her mouth in panic._

_"Sssshhhh, it's still early, don't wake people up or we'll get into trouble, Luce"_

_"What are you doing here, Sting and how did you get into my room?" – Lucy frowned at him. Sting sat on her bed, grinning at her, shirtless._

_"And put on a shirt, you pervert." – She grabbed her pillow and hit his face._

_"Okay, okay. Just a minute, geeze." – He chuckled. _

_She waited for him to dress appropriately then asked again._

_"How did you get into my room? You know that you're gonna be disciplinary if the supervisor knows you're here, right?"_

_"I got in by the windows, you should have made a better lock, you know. And don't worry, nobody knows I'm here, except Rogue." – He shrugged._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_His eyes were low to the ground._

_"I don't want to stay at home now." - Lucy furrowed her brows._

_"Hey, what's wrong?"_

_After what happened last night, Sting couldn't sleep without having a nightmare again. He almost screamed in frustration for the whole town could hear. So he got up, sent Rogue a message, then broke in to Lucy's dorm. He took off his shirt, but kept his pants on. He didn't want Lucy to loose her head when she found him naked in her bed. Then sneaked into her blanket and hugged her tightly. He finally could get some sleep and push the woman out of his mind for a while, thanks to her warmth._

_Sting rubbed his eyes tiredly, then told Lucy what happened. Lucy was kinda surprised, Weisslogia was engaged? That was unexpected. Lucy never heard Sting or Rogue said anything about his father's love life. Since Sting's mother's death, he just lived like that, brought them up with his own efforts and love. She thought that this was a good news. It'd been ten years already, Sting and Rogue maybe needed someone to take care of them as a mother like they deserved to be and Weisslogia needed someone to share difficulty in life. But Sting… seemed like he found it hard to accept that he was gonna have a new mother._

_"Sting, why were you so mad about it? It's been 10 years already. Don't you think your father deserves another chance to be happy? It's good for him and it's good you two, too. " – She said carefully._

_He sighed. "I... know, but Lucy, she looks exactly like my mom and I have a bad feeling about it, I don't trust her."_

_"You've just met her, of course you don't trust her." - Lucy said tenderly._

_"Alright, I think it's normal for you to have these feeling when she just appeared out of nowhere. But maybe if you get to know her, she won't be that bad." – She cooed, but Sting still utter a word_

_"Sting, I know it's hard to accept, but…running away couldn't solve anything. At least, talk to them and we'll see what happen next. I know that Weisslogia just wants the best for you two, you know." – She said kindly, her fingers combed his hair, giving him some soothing feeling. Sting sighed again, then nodded._

_"Fine, but… not now. I need to be somewhere else right now but home"_

_"Okay… how about you staying at my dorm, then we could go home by dinner. Perfect time for family reunite, I want to see your father anyway. It's been a long time, I'll cook something for you guys." – She grinned at him and he smiled back, rubbing her hair. His dad would love that. Weisslogia really liked Lucy, the girl was like a daughter to him._

_"You know, my father once said that he wanted you to be his daughter-in-law, when you cooked us dinner before you came to America, remember?" – He said, then chuckled, enjoying her slightly red face._

_"R…really? I mean l..liar… he didn't say that." – She stammered._

_"Oh yes, he did." – He smirked and tugged a strain of hair that fell down her cheek. "Do you want to?"_

_"Want what?" – She asked in confusion._

_"Do you want to be his daughter-in-law?" – He whispered between jest and earnest, smiling at her. Now Lucy looked like a riped cherry, her heart began to race again. It sounded like he was confessing to her_.

YES_. _

_She screamed in her head, then inwardly slapped her face_.

He's just teasing you, stupid. Pull yourself together.

_His smirk was annoying and she knew he was enjoying this. She took a deep breath, keeping her eyes-contact with Sting_. Okay, two could play a game.

_"What benefit that I'm gonna get if I am your father's daughter-in-law?" – She cocked her head innocently and Sting snickered._ She's in.

_"Huhm… my father will treat you like his daughter?"_

_"Oh please, he's already treated me like his own daughter." – She rolled her eyes playfully._

_"Okay, then if you are my father's daughter-in-law, I… will cook… for you everyday" – He grinned and she made a face._

_"God no, you'll set the whole kitchen on fire and I will have to eat instant noodles everyday for the rest of my life, if Rogue isn't there." - She deadpanned._

_"Hey! Okay, it's true. But I'm willing to learn if you're be there to teach me."_

_"You can have Rogue teach you." - Lucy shook her head._

_"Yeah, but it'll be more fun if it's you." – He said in his sing-song voice and she cackled to herself._

_"That's all? too cheap, I thought I deserve better than that." – She sighed, pretending to be disappointed._

_"Playing the spoiled princess role now, huh? Okay princess, how about you can have everything in my house?" – He smirked then pinched her cheek and she pouted at him._

_"Really? Everything?"_

_"Yeah, everything."_

_"Like what?"_

_"Like my X-box, my Playstation 3, my laptop, Rogue's guitar – he won't mind if you have it believe me, the 50 inches TV plasma in the living room…" – he counted his fingers. Lucy giggled, she didn't need those things, she could get them if she wanted. Her family was the richest in Japan, remember?_

_He continued - "… and the most important thing: me."_

_"I've already had you." – The remark made a slip off of her tongue and an awkward silence filled the air._

_"I MEAN….eh…uhm... you're my friend, I've already had you as my friend...,"_

_"Shut up!" – She almost shouted at him in embarrassing, that amused him even more._

_"I didn't say anything." - He cackled._

_"But you're thinking, stop your complicated thought, geeze."_

_"Okay, okay..." He laughed lightly and whispered again – "Well then, you can have me more than a friend." – She blushed hard at his implication._

_"S… stop talking nonsense, you idiot" – She smacked the back of his head then stood up abruptly_. Stop messing with my heart Sting, I don't want to have a heart attack when I'm 17._ But before she could go anywhere, he grabbed her wrist._

_"You haven't answered my question yet." – He grinned, somehow he now really wanted to know the answer when he saw her red face._

Gosh, could he just give me a break?

_"Well, do you?" – She asked back and before he could open his mouth, she beat him to it. - "If you don't, then don't ask."_

_Sting watched her running away to her bathroom, then chuckled._

Yes, I do. I really do Lucy.

* * *

><p><strong>[Present]<strong>

Sting stayed at her dorm all day, but instead of enjoying a peaceful Saturday together, she made him study. He texted Rogue in the afternoon to see if father and _that woman _were home yet. Then he took Lucy to the grocery store to buy some food for dinner. She made _Sukiyaki _– a kind of pot-au-feu consisted of tofu, beef, scallion, mushrooms, and vegetables eat together with jelly-noodles, some rice, _Kakuni –_ caramel pork and _Miso _soup, she also made some sushi for Rogue and jelly fruit _Konnya _for desert.

"It's not some kind of a party you know, you don't have to cook too many dishes." – Rogue said, then picked up a sushi roll. He was about to put it in his mouth but Lucy slapped his hand and it dropped on the dish again.

"We're going to welcome a new member to your family so I want to make it special." – Lucy mumbled quietly, only for Rogue to hear. But it was not like there was anybody around to eavesdrop on them, Sting was watching TV in the living room, Wesslogia and Hazumi weren't home yet.

"So, what do you know about her?" - She asked, hands still working on sushi.

"Not much thought. She's my father secretary, they've dated for 2 months and just got engaged 2 days ago." – Rogue shrugged.

"What? 2 months and he's already thought about marrying her? As much as I think moving on is a good thing for him, it's too rush, don't you think?"

"I know, I was surprised to know that too. But I think it's because she looks and acts just like our mother, hair, eyes, favorite color, even the way she touched her ear lobe when she's worried this morning."

"Huhm… that's strange, the similar between two looks I can understand, but even the habit and liking?" – Lucy said in confusion.

"Yeah, but maybe it's just a coincident. Maybe if we get to know her, we'll see her completely different from our mother."

"I hope so, if not, it'll be difficult for Sting to accept her." - She said.

"Are you two talking about me?" – A voice resounded and they turned to look at her. Lucy was startled, but still smiling at the woman.

"Hi, nice to meet you Hazumi-san. I'm Lucy, friend of Rogue and Sting." - She hoped Hazumi didn't hear much about her conversation with Rogue.

"Well, hello Lucy, nice to meet you too. Weisslogia's talked so much about you." – She gave Lucy a hug then turned to look at Rogue, he just nodded slightly.

"Lucy? Oh my god, it's good to see you again, how are you?" – Weisslogia followed closely behind Hazumi.

"I'm fine uncle, what about you?" – Lucy hugged him and he patted her head. Weisslogia was like another father to her, he was glad that Sting and Rogue could have a friend like her, her appearance in their life was like sunshine after rainy days.

"Never better, my dear. Oh you made dinner? They look delicious." – He praised her efforts, then they started to gather at the dinner table after 15 minutes later… Except Sting.

Lucy and Rogue almost had to yell at him to make him get out of the living room, the atmosphere turned somehow gloomy after that. Hazumi tried to start a conversation with Sting but the boy either didn't answer her or just answered tersely. Lucy had to step on his foot several times to warn, him but Hazumi looked like she didn't mind. She just smiled all the time. If she wasn't Weisslogia's fiancée, but was a completely stranger, Lucy would have mistaken her with a crazy woman.

The dinner didn't go very smoothly. Sting and his father had an argument again about Sting's disrespect towards Hazumi. Although Lucy had told to him take it easy, but easier said than done. Sting finally decided to shut his mouth and didn't even say a word till the end of the meal.

"I'm so sorry about Sting, aunt Hazumi." – Lucy said quietly while washing another dish handed to her by Hazumi under the cold water.

"Oh don't worry, he'll get over it."

"Aunt Hazumi, don't you wonder why Sting isn't … very friendly with you? I saw you smiling at him like you didn't take offense by his words." – Lucy was kinda surprised when she could keep her happy face with Sting all the time, she was either had a surprisingly high tolerance or just simply crazy.

"I know why Sting acts that way towards me. It's because his mother looked like me, right? – She paused. _Actually, you looks like her._ Lucy thought.

"But I'm sure he'll soon like me. I can arouse his beautiful memory about him and his mother, although the similar between us is just a coincidence. He'll forget his former mother and I can take care of him for her instead." – She smiled again and Lucy just nodded. _Maybe she won't be so bad._

* * *

><p><strong>[A week later]<strong>

"Let (d) be a straight line with equation x = t, y = -1, z = - t and 2 plane (P): x + 2y + 2z + 3 = 0 and (Q): x + 2y + 2z + 7 = 0. Form the equation of straight line (d') which is the projection of (d) on (P)?" – Natsu read slowly so his friend could write down the topic.

"Sounds easy." – Gray murmured and quickly wrote something in his note

"Lucy what do you think? Lucy? Lucy? LUCY?" – Erza's voice almost turned Lucy to deaf but it finally woke her up from her daydream.

"What? Oh… Sorry." – Lucy murmured when Erza gave her a point look. Lucy, Erza, Natsu and Gray were studying together, because they were going to have their Autumn term exam in the next 3 week, but Lucy didn't focus, her mind was somewhere else.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" – Natsu inquired – "Are you sick?"

"No, it's nothing Natsu, I'm fine." – She let out a soft sigh.

"Oh c'mon, tell us, we're friends right? You could tell us anything" – Erza insisted and she sighed again. _Perhaps hey could give me some advice._

"Right, it's something concerns my friends... Okay it's about Sting and Rogue, don't look at me like that, please." – She made a face and they lowered their brows.

"Tell us anyway, maybe we can help" – Natsu offered. Although they didn't get along but they were Lucy's friends and Lucy wouldn't be able to focus on anything else if there was something involved her friends that she couldn't help. So as soon as they found out the resolve, her mind would still be somewhere else.

"Alright, you see, Sting and Rogue's mother… passed away about 10 years ago. It's a painful memory to them, especially Sting… and a week ago, their father came back home from an assignment and he introduced them… his fiancée, their soon to be step mother." – Lucy was hesitated, she felt bad because that was her friends' family's issue, it was not something that she should tell the outsiders but… she didn't know what to do with the trouble thought that she was having in mind.

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is… there's something odd about aunt Hazumi, uncle's fiancée. I called their father uncle so she insisted that I call her aunt." – Yeah, the problem concerned _the new mother._ Lucy couldn't tell Rogue and Sting because she was the one who told them to get to know her first. Besides, this is the chance for them to have a perfect family with father and mother, to have the happiness they always deserved to have. She didn't want her delusion ruining it but she couldn't push that thought outside of her mind either.

"Odd? How odd?" – Gray stopped what he was writing to lift his head and looked at her.

"Do you think that… there is some particular reason for a woman to lie about her marriage status?" - She asked.

* * *

><p><strong>[5 days ago]<strong>

_"Uncle, can I ask you something?" – Lucy sat on the couch in front of Weisslogia, he was watching news in the living room, Hazumi was having a bath while Sting and Rogue were washing dishes. _

_"Of course, my dear." – Weisslogia smiled at her, but it didn't ease her nervousness much._

_"Well…uhm… you see, I know this is your family business and I don't have the right to meddle in but… I heard that you had only dated aunt Hazumi for 2 months and you two have already engaged? Don't you think it's a little bit rush, uncle?" – Lucy chose her words carefully, she didn't want Weisslogia to think that she meant disrespect in any way._

_He smile in fatherly fashion at her, clearly expecting the question from the little girl._

_"First of all, don't talk like you're a stranger to this family Lucy. You belong to this house the moment you set you foot in here, so you have all the right to ask." – He said tenderly and her smile blossomed. _

_"Second, I know that, my dear. I was astonished back then, when she was hired to be my secretary. I felt like I just saw a ghost, Hazumi looks like Sting's mother so much and I wondered was this just a coincidence or fate's arrangement?" – He paused but Lucy was quiet, listening to him carefully, Weisslogia lowered his voice._

_"We've seen each other at the company everyday, we talked, we laughed… She reminds me of Belle so much, Lucy. And I had thought that… 'Who care? It's maybe just a coincidence, but what if it's fate? Perhaps fate finally gave me a chance to bring the woman whom Sting loves so much back in his life, the one that I had failed to protect."_

Belle? So that's Sting's mother's name. Her name's beautiful. _Lucy thought._

_Weisslogia rubbed his lids to clear his eyes._

_"That's why I want her to join our family as soon as possible. Sting perhaps hasn't accepted her yet, but I think he will, eventually and the past will finally stop haunting him." – His hands clenched and unclenched, talking about their past was hard for him, Lucy could see it._

_"I saw him screaming, crying, sobbing and pleading so the nightmares could show him some mercy after his mother's death. I'm his father and I couldn't help him with anything besides comforting him with trite and hollow words." – He tried to stay calm but his voice was broken. Lucy almost cried at his painful expression. What could be more painful to parents than just standing there, seeing their child agonizing in pain, but couldn't do anything about it. She hugged his torso, like a daughter did to her own father and he smiled through her hair, he patted her head slightly._

_"It's not your fault, uncle. We couldn't change what happened. Don't blame yourself like that, you just want the best for him, for them right?" - She mumbled.  
><em>

_"Yeah."_

_"I promise that I will try my best to help Sting accept her, uncle." – She beamed and he let out a soft laugh._

_"Thank you, Lucy."_

_Lucy gave him a last hug, then went back to the kitchen to find Rogue and Sting, but suddenly remembered something._

_"Oh, one more thing uncle. Did… aunt Hazumi have…family before? Even if she did, I don't think that would be a problem for us."_

_Wesslogia was taken back by her question, he looked at her in surprise._

_"No, no, no, Lucy. She hasn't married yet, why did you ask?"_

_Lucy raised her brows, her mouth made an 'O' shape and she laughed nervously._

_"Heh…eh… nothing uncle, I just thought that she must have had a family before… because she… ehh… she's… ehhh…" – Wesslogia watched Lucy trying to formulate the right words in amusement._

_" … as old as me?"_

_"Yes- NO, I… I didn't mean that uncle, I mean…" – Lucy stammered and he laughed out loud. _

_"Don't worry Lucy, I know what you mean, but really… she hasn't married yet. Maybe that's why I thought it was fate, you know." – He smiled at her and she smiled back in relief._

* * *

><p>"Why do you think that she lied to Weisslogia about her marriage status?" – Erza shrugged.<p>

"Well when we were having dinner, I saw the skin area around her ring-finger was whiter than the rest. It's bigger than the ring uncle gave her so I could see it. It's a sign that she had worn a wedding ring before, she went outside a lot so when she took it off, it traced on her finger." – Lucy said, putting her index finger on her chin - "And the fact that uncle didn't notice it means that he hasn't known her very well."

"Okay… but, maybe it's because her marriage wasn't a good memory and she didn't want to talk about it?" – Erza assumed.

"Or maybe her husband abused her and she felt ashamed about it?" – Gray stated wisely.

"Or maybe he's dead, robbed, murdered or something. Maybe he was kidnapped by aliens." – Natsu added and Lucy sweatdropped.

"I don't think there is any good reason for her to do that. Aunt Belle – Sting and Rogue's mother's name – passed away, too. It's a big loss for them and they will understand it if her husband is truly dead. Besides, wasn't telling us about her husband abused her would make us feel more compassion to her, and easier to accept her? I would do that if I were her." – Lucy shrugged.

"Right, but… not telling the truth about her marriage status is not something illegal."

"I know… it's also mean that she doesn't trust us to tell us about something personal of her life. By the way, another thing that make me feel strange about her is…" – She paused and all eyes focused on her like they were watching a climax of a drama - "Frosh doesn't like her." – She whispered and they gave her incomprehensible expressions.

"Who the hell is Frosh?"

"A neighbor kid?"

"A cat."

"Natsu's right, a cat, Frosh is Rogue's cat. It's really friendly, different from Lector – Sting's cat." - She answered.

* * *

><p><strong>[3 days ago]<strong>

_Lucy knocked the door but nobody answered. It was a Tuesday's afternoon, Sting and Rogue stayed at the basketball court to practice and she decided to have dinner at their house. _

Uncle and Hazumi must have gone home by now.

_She turned the knock and walked in, Lucy heard the water running from the bathroom upstairs. _

Maybe it's uncle, Hazumi probably is preparing the meal.

_She went to the kitchen but couldn't see anyone._

_"Aunt Hazumi? Aunt Hazumi?"_

_*Méow*_

_She jumped at the sound of the cat. Frosh scampered at her, hidding behind her back. She looked at the cat quizzically._

_"Lucy, what are you doing here? Wesslogia didn't say that you would come." – Hazumi appeared at the door, smiling at her. Cat food can was in her left hand and a kitchen knife was in her right hand, she quickly put the knife away and approached Lucy._

_"Hi aunt Hazumi, uhm… I usually don't have to tell them… I just… ehh… show up?" – Lucy scratched her head, it was normal for their family if she decided to join their dinner without telling them first. But to someone else, it sounded kinda impolite._

_"Oh right, it was before. But now I'm here, please call first next time, sweetie." – Lucy gulped and nodded dumbly._

* * *

><p>"Ooooohhhh!"<p>

"What?" – She halted and looked at them quizzically.

"Now I know why you think that there's something fishy about her, she's marking her territory in her new house, and you can't do whatever you like like before." – Erza smirked and the boys nodded in approval.

"Wha…what the hell? It's not like that and I'm serious about this so shut up." – Lucy frowned at them and continued her story.

* * *

><p><em>"By the way, what are you doing Hazumi?" – She said, looking at the can in her hand.<em>

_"Oh I'm feeding Rogue's cat, Fros or Froge something, it's being unpleasant today. Hey kitty, kitty, c'mon… mama has your food." – She said in her sing-song voice and Lucy sweatdropped, but Frosh just kept hiding itself behind Lucy's legs. _That's strange, he usually likes everyone.

_"It's okay, Hazumi, let me handle it." – She offered, then scooped the small cat in her arms._

_"Oh thank you, my dear, I'll leave it to you." – She gave Lucy the can, then got back to the incompleted meal._

_"Hey Frosh, what's wrong with you today?" – She said to it then caressed it's hair, making it purr in delight…_

* * *

><p>"Maybe it didn't like the food" – Gray remarked.<p>

"Excuse you, but it ate happily when I fed it." – Lucy retorted back.

"Anything else, Lucy?" – Erza asked.

"Yes, I found a golden rinse in the waste basket when I helped them take out the garbage. It means her hair isn't the color that we saw." – Lucy said quietly, Hazumi was hiding some many things from them, she was really disappointed. She hoped that Hazumi could be _the one _to bring happiness to their family again, but now… she didn't even know anymore.

"Perhaps she likes golden hair and it's just a coincidence." – Erza shrugged and Lucy sighed.

"I know, I thought so and told myself to stop imagining things, but… I don't know… I've got a hunch that she's not someone we thought she was and the more important problem is… I promised uncle that I would help Sting accept her, but now I have to reconsider it again."

"If you're worried so much about her hiding something from you, then google some information about her on the internet or something, don't tell her or anybody until you know exactly who she is." – Erza suggested. Lucy thought for a moment then nodded.

"Seem like a good idea, thank you, Erza." – She smiled at the red hair girl.

"Question, Lucy: I know that you and them are childhood friends, but is that necessary that you have to stay at their house almost the whole week?" – Natsu inquired nonchalantly.

"I have to help them to get to know Hazumi, she's the only woman there." – She shrugged.

"I know, but sometimes I don't even know where you are staying anymore, the dorm or their house." – He muttered.

"Ooh... someone's jealous" – Gray whistled.

"I'm not jealous, I'm just worried about her safety."

"Well no need to, they won't hurt her or something so stop overdo it, Natsu." – Erza looked like she had given the duo the green light.

"Yeah, thanks Natsu, but no need to" – Lucy smiled at him, but Natsu just looked away.

It was hard for him to see her face when she just hang around them almost 24/7 and every time he spotted her at the hall, the school yard… she was either fooling around with Sting or talking and laughing with Rogue. And the most annoying thing that those bastards would find a way to get on his nerves when they saw him by expressing… those… lovey-dovey acts like touching her cheek, caressing her hair, hugging her or even worse – kissing her cheeks and she would blush cutely like one of their fangirls.

Really, he couldn't even believe that they were _just friends _anymore. Natsu didn't know why he was feeling these… feelings, he had considered the possibility that he was jealous but then again… jealous was only for people who was in love, right? Natsu didn't love her, he liked her… as a friend… okay maybe a little bit more than a friend…. Alright a lot more than a friends, but he-didn't-love-her, right?

_Urrrggg._ _I wished she were a dude, that would be easier._

He thought.

_No wait, she can't be a dude, if she was a dude and I like her, then that mean… I'm gay?_ His eyes wide opened.

_OH, HELL NO. _He internally slapped himself for thinking such things.

_Maybe I could ask her to hang out with me this weekend, just the two of us like when we were still in America. Yeah, that could work._

**End of chapter 10**

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading, following, making this your favorite story :) <strong>

Special thanks to** SimplyIsabelleS, Psyka, AnimexXxLuvver, Lucy Queen of the Stars, I'm . such . a . geek, Mandy422 **for reviewing :D Love you guys.

**Lucy Queen of the Stars:** _He will soon dear :D I'm working on it :D_

And another thanks to** SimplyIsabelleS **for reminding me of mistakes that I made in the last chapter. I'm so sorry guys, when I read it again I had thought that "Gosh what the hell is wrong with you, you made so many mistakes" -_- So horrible, I also had to fix the time landmark urgggg ... Please forgive me.

**I'm so sorry for the late update again, my state of mind wasn't really stable to write anything :) Anyway tell me what you think about the new mother :D I finished chapter 11 and I'll update it tonight or tomorrow. See you soon :D**


	11. Chapter 11 - The shady fiancée

**Hi there :D Here is chapter 11 of Pure, I finished it 3 days ago but I had to check for some errors. English is not my mother language so forgive me if I make some mistakes ^^~**

**Thank you all of you for reading, following, making this your favorite story.**

**Special thanks to AnimeWhoLockDiaries, zin-chan-luvs-u, xxXScarletHeartXxx, AnimexXxLuvver for reviewing XD I appreciated it XD. **

****zin-chan-luvs-u**: Hazumi actually :)) oh I love Frosh too XD So don't worry he's safe ^^  
><strong>

**Anyway, enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 11 - The shady fiancée  
><strong>

"What are you thinking about?" – Rogue asked Sting, they were taking a break at the basketball court. Sting wasn't focus, he couldn't even catch the ball from a simple pass.

"Nothing."

"Really, we've grown up together and you still have to lie to me? It's been written all over your face."

"I'm thinking about moving out." – Sting said quietly and Rogue stared at him. – "I'm gonna stay at the dorm, I guess."

"Is it because of Hazumi?" – That was a statement, not a question. Rogue took Sting's silence as the confirmation.

"Sting, Hazumi is father's fiancée and will be our step-mother sooner or later, are you gonna be like that forever? Get to know her or something."

"It's funny when it's coming from you, you know. You barely even talk to her so don't tell me what to do." – Sting rolled his eyes mockingly.

"Yeah but I'm not the one who has the bigger problem with her. Why are you just keep giving her such a hard time? She looks like our mother, so what? It's time for dad to move on and so do you, she probably could take care of us like mom used to." – Rogue retorted back.

"She-will-never can take care of us like mom used to. That woman is a hypocrite, a gold-digger, and that's all she will ever be. She made me and Lucy fight all the time." – Sting greeted his teeth.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flashback]<strong>

_"Sting my dear, I made some chocolate muffins for you, do you want some?" – Hazumi held a tray full of cakes in front of Sting and he scowled at her._

_"Your muffins suck. Stop trying to imitate my mom, please?" – Sting poured himself a glass of water and was about to went upstairs, but Hazumi was faster, she blocked his way, still smiling._

_"What are you talking about? I love chocolate muffins too, I'm sure they're more delicious than last time, so try again, c'mon." – She pushed the tray near his face and his scowl deepened._

_"No, thanks." – He declined but Hazumi didn't give up, she kept shoving the tray nearer, challenging Sting's composure._

_"Oh don't be like that sweetheart, I know you miss them from your mom so I made them for you, it perhaps could be better than hers." - His eyes narrowed at the mere mention about his mom._

_"I said I don't want them." – Sting greeted his teeth. He pushed the tray back, but his hand barely touched the metal material because she suddenly fell backward, the tray beat the floor with a loud clang. _

_"Sting!" – Lucy cried out then rushed at Hazumi who was clutching her wrist.  
><em>

_"Aunt Hazumi are you okay? Sting what did you do?" – Lucy scolded him. _

_She came out from Rogue's room to see what Sting was doing in the kitchen with Hazumi and saw him pushed her fell on the ground. She knew that Sting didn't like her but that was brutal._

_"Excuse me, but I didn't do anything. She fell by herself." – Sting glared at the woman._

_"It's okay, Lucy. Sting didn't like my muffins so he pushed me a little, but I'm sure he didn't mean to… I'm fine." – Hazumi smiled at her and rubbed her wrist  
><em>

_"Wha... the hell? That's not true-"_

_"Sting apologize to her, now." – Lucy was frowning at him while helping her to stand up and he rolled his eyes._

_"In your dream." – He said then, walked away, leaving Lucy gaping like a fish out of water._

_"Sting, stop right there, don't you dare walk away from me like that! Sting, I'm talking to you, Sting!..." _

**[End of flashback]**

* * *

><p>"Hypocrite." – He stated again.<p>

"Okay, maybe you pushed her, but you didn't realize it" – Rogue said and Sting gave him a boring look. – "Really, you trust her more than me?"

"Of course I trust you more than her but... Never mind... What about the gold-digger stuff?" - Rogue sighed.

He didn't like to interact with Hazumi, no particular reason, he just didn't like it. So except dinner and breakfast time when he saw her at dining-table, he usually avoided her and it was really hard when she was home all the time. But luckily, she wasn't interesting in talking to him either, so... it was fine. Weisslogia let her take a break from work to spend time with his two sons but as far as he knew, it didn't get anywhere.

"Well she asked dad to buy her a new car on their wedding day, they haven't got married yet and she's already thought about a new car? I heard them talking when I passed his room."

"That still wasn't enough to prove that she's a gold-digger."

"Really? She used dad's credit card to buy a whole new wardrobe, she bragged about her new dresses and shoes with her friend, and about dad let her buy as many clothes as she wanted." – Sting said and pushed back his imaginary long hair, mimicking Hazumi's gesture like when she was on the phone, Rogue chuckled. They weren't poor but Weisslogia was not spendthrift either, so they both knew that he would never let her spend that much money on clothes.

"She always acting like she was the victim in front of dad and Lucy every time we fell out, the poor new mother and the bad son." - He sneered, then continued. - " And the most annoyed thing that she purposely made me look bad in front of Lucy, when the truth is I never did anything seriously injure her, she did all those things to herself, mostly tumble-down and Lucy would get angry at me like I'm the worst-sinner-ever." – He wanted to get out of there, fast. Sting didn't think that he could stand another day at that house.

"Okay, but if she's truly the person like you said, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know, her look is no longer a problem, the problem is I can't let a person like that walk in my dad's life, but I really don't know what to do." – Sting said and his eyes narrowed at the image of the woman popped in head. _Get out of my head, you devil._

"Perhaps you should talk to Lucy."

"Nah, she likes that woman, she won't listen to me." - Sting mumbled.

"She defended her doesn't mean that she likes her, you'll never know what's going on in that girl's little head." - Rogue shrugged.

"Maybe, but I have to move out first before I decide to do anything else." - Sting bit his lip, he now missed his mother than ever.

_Mommy..._

* * *

><p><strong>[At Fiore Academy]<strong>

"Yes, Caprico. Yes, find all the information about the woman in the picture I sent you for me, past, present, I don't care, just… take everything you get…. Okay, I'll wait." – Lucy hung up her cell phone.

She just gave Caprico, the butler of the Heartfilia, a call to help her find all she wanted to know about Hazumi, she got a bad feeling about this. She was heading to S1 after school. Rogue just told her that Sting wanted to move out, she wanted to talk to him although she didn't know what she was gonna say yet. Lucy pushed the door of his class open...

"Sting, Rogue told me that-" – Lucy halted, blinking at the scene in front of her eyes. Sting looked at her then quickly let go of Yukino's hand.

She folded her arms and raised her brows – "Am I interrupting something?"

"N-no, of course not, nothing really." – Yukino laughed nervously and scratched her head.

"What are you doing here?" – Sting asked.

It was just an innocent question, but it seemed like Lucy took it too seriously.

"What? I can't even see my friend whenever I want?" – She replied petulantly and Sting narrowed his eyes at her.

"Uhm… you guys go talk, I'll go first." – Yukino could sense the evil aura Lucy was emitting even miles away and she decided that maybe it was time to leave them alone and just go.

"You don't have to-"

"Thank you, Yukino." – Lucy butted in before Sting got a chance to finish his sentence.

Yukino forced a laugh and waved at them awkwardly, Lucy walked in when she had already left.

"Sooo~ ... what were you two doing? – She asked nonchalantly.

"Cleaning, our duty is today." – Sting said then started cleaning the black board, they had finished sweeping the class.

"Cleaning or flirting." – Lucy murmured quietly, but he caught that.

"I can hear you, Luce. I didn't flirt with her, she got a sliver in her finger when she was sweeping, I just helped her get it out." - He grunted.

"Whatever." – She rolled her eyes and grumbled annoyingly.

"Seriously, if you're here to scold me again, then sorry I don't need it." – They were still mad at each other after the argument at Sting's house last night, when Sting called Hazumi an old hag, because she wanted to wear his mother's wedding dress on her wedding day. Weisslogia was really angry and almost gave him a piece of his mind if Rogue wasn't there. She knew that she had doubt for her too, but that was rude. Especially when Hazumi was Weisslogia's fiancée.

"What? You're irritated because I interrupted your '_quality time' _ with Yukino?" – Lucy knew that she was being a bitch, but she couldn't help it. She was mad at herself for exaggerating the situation and Sting was the only one around for her to vent her anger on. It was just a simple holding hand, but it didn't look okay in her eyes.

"Again? I said I just helped-" – Sting halted, then turned to look at her abruptly.

He threw the rag on the table then approached her, leaning forward and staring at her twisted face.

"What?" – She shrugged and Sting's infamous smirk appeared.

"Are you jealous?" – He cocked his head, looking quite smugly.

Lucy blinked and her cheeks darkened. - "Wha… Pardon me? I'm not jealous."

"Uh huh, not what I'm seeing." – He crossed his arms then stared down at her, her face was burning.

"Hell! I-am-not-jealous, okay? I don't care if you hold hand with anybody because that's not my business." - She pouted.

"Ahh, so you're jealous because you thought I held her hand." – He smirked again and was about to pinch her cheek, but she slapped his hand away.

"I said I-am-not-freaking-jealous." – Oh yeah she was jealous and his smug face was not helping at all.

He grinned then poked her cheeks with his finger repeatedly, although she just kept slapping his hand away.

_She's cute. _

"Stop it, you moron. What are you? Five?" – She laughed lightly then frowned again, half ticklish and half annoying.

"What? We hold hands all the time and you're still jealous because I held hers? Want me to hold yours right now?" - He chuckled.

"Thanks, but no thanks, I don't need your _magical hold._" – She mocked, then started to walk away, but he grabbed her hand, still smiling.

"Aw c'mon, don't be like that, your cold hurt me, you know." – He held her hands tightly in his, then hugged her from behind, rocking her back and forth.

"Sting, release me now." – Lucy squirmed in his arms, but he wouldn't let go.

"Never~" - He buried his face in her hair and tightened his arms around her. He pecked her cheeks softly, melting her inside.

"Goshhh, get off me Sting!" - She struggled again, being near him at this time was not good for her heart.

"There's nothing going on between me and Yukino, you know." - Sting smiled, then let her go.

"I know, you don't have to explain that to me." – Lucy murmured, he smiled and she stuck her tongue out at him. This time he was success in pinching her cheeks.

"So? You want to see me?" – He asked after the corner of her lips turned up.

"Yeah, Rogue said that you wanted to move out, is that true?"

"It's true. I don't think I can't stand being near her any longer." – He said and Lucy nodded.

Her plan for them to get along maybe needed to wait until she fully understood who Hazumi really was. Sting was waiting for her response, but got none. He thought that she was gonna protest.

"You're…not gonna say anything?"

Lucy shrugged - "Say what? It's your choice and I respect it, stay at the dorm until you feel comfortable to talk to them again. I just want to ask to see if you're okay." – She stood on her tip-toes and rubbed his hair.

"I'm okay, thank you." – He grinned, Lucy really cared about him and he appreciated it a lot. He didn't know if he could ever find another girl cared about him as much as she did.

"You're welcome." – She beamed.

* * *

><p><strong>[Weisslogia's house, after dinner]<strong>

"Lucy, are you sure it's okay for us to eavesdrop?" – Rogue asked quietly.

He and Lucy were standing outside of Weisslogia's room with their eaves got close to the door, trying to figure out what Hazumi and him were talking about.

Sting had told his father about his decision and kinda asked his permit to move out. He had tried to be as much polite as he could, although he was really annoyed when Hazumi just kept butting in. That woman really didn't know her boundary, but if Sting wants his father to accept his choice, he can't get on her bad side so he decided to give in. Weisslogia said that he would think about it.

"I need to know what she's gonna tell uncle about what Sting had told them. I think there's something fishy about her." – She whispered.

Sting was taking a shower and this was a good chance to find out something more about Hazumi. She didn't tell Rogue fully about her suspicion yet, she had thought that she perhaps shouldn't involve Sting and Rogue into this mess she was making. But Rogue seemed like he didn't care much about Hazumi so maybe it was okay for her to tell him.

"Fishy? Like what?" - He asked softly.

"Shhhh… Be quiet, I'll tell you later." – She crunched her face in concentration.

_'I'm so sorry honey, maybe this marriage is a mistake.' – _It was Hazumi voice, there were something sounded like sobs and Lucy wondered if she was really sobbing.

_'No, no, no. Don't say something like that Hazumi, Sting is really hard-head, but he'll get around soon.' - No dad, he won't and never will._ Rogue thought.

_'I-I know he doesn't like me because I look like his mother, although it's not like I can control how I look, maybe I should dye my hair black or something.'_

_'No honey, I like your hair natural like that, it looks beautiful, like sunshine.' -_Weisslogia cooed.

_'Aw, thank you honey.'_

Rogue and Lucy stared at each other until Rogue made his face look like he was about to puke, Lucy had to cover her mouth to restrain herself from giggling too loud.

"They make me want to throw up." - He muttered and Lucy laughed silently.

_You'll be like him someday, too, Rogue. _

_'Weisslogia, I think you shouldn't let him move out. I promise I'll try my best for him to like me, although he's very aggressive to me. He rushed me all the time, but I know that-'_

_'Wait, Sting rushed you? When?' _

"That's not true." – Rogue mumbled.

_This is not good. _Lucy thought.

_'Okay, I have to talk to him'_

_'No, no, no, no, no, he just slipped his hands or something, honey. It's no big deal really, I'm fine, don't tell him about this.' _ - Hazumi pleaded and Lucy made a face.

_'How could I do that? That's harsh and disrespected, I didn't teach him to be a man like that.'_

_'No, no, please, it's fine, just let it go this time. You could do whatever you want next time, but this time just… let it be okay? I'll try to get along with him.' _

"She's a good actress." – Rogue commented and Lucy nodded. She heard Weisslogia's sigh loudly.

_'Okay, just this time. But next time, you have to tell me okay? That kid needs to learn some manners.'_ - He gave in - '_I'm thinking about taking the whole family to the hot spring after the kids finish their exams, to knit our family together, what do you think?'_

_'Really? That's great, hon, you're the perfect husband.'_

_'Really?'_

_'Really.' _– Hazumi said, then Lucy and Rogue heard some kissing sounds...

Then came some whinnies

Then… some moans

Then… some whimpers…

'Ewww' – The duo outside the door mouthed, then both hastily ran clean off. They blushed slightly, the mere thought of what they were doing made her shiver and Rogue had to shake his head to clean his thought. He then turned to look at Lucy.

"So? What is that fishy thing that you were talking about?" – He opened the refrigerator to take out a bar of chocolate then handed her half of it.

Lucy bit a piece, then started to tell him what she had already told Natsu, Erza and Gray. Maybe he could help her with it somehow. Rogue listened carefully, but suddenly gaped like a dying fish when he heard... - "WHAT? She was holding a knife while chasing Frosh around the house to feed it? It could have been killed!" - Okay, nobody messed with his cat, even that was his soon-to-be-stepmother.

"I think we need a little chit-chat." – Rogue gritted his teeth and stormed off to find Hazumi, but luckily Lucy stopped him.

"Woaaa, easy there Tiger. I can ensure you that it was the first and the last time I saw her fed Frosh so don't worry, I told her to have you or me feed it. If something like that happen again, I'll tell uncle." - She cooled him, trying to calm him down.

Rogue sighed then nodded.

"Fine."

He then told her what Sting had said to him. Lucy frowned slightly, so from Sting and Lucy's perspectives, Hazumi was really shady.

"So what should we do?" - He asked.

"I told Caprico to find all the information about her for me, we just need to be patient, but don't tell Sting yet. We have to be sure before we bring out any conclusion. If we do anything wrong, it can make the situation between them worse." – She said then picked up the cat who was hanging around her legs from the moment she walked in the living room.

Rogue looked at her petting his cat and couldn't help but smiling at them. Frosh used to be an alley cat 4 years ago. It was beaten by some dogs back then and almost died. But fortunately, Lucy and him found it near a dumpster. Frosh was very sweet, it loved Rogue and Lucy so much and got along really well with Lector. Rogue remembered the time before she went to America, she'd gone to their house to study with them all the time and usually dropped off on the couch with Frosh lying on her stomach. He decided to take a picture of them like that and stored it inside his wallet, it was really cute.

He heard her whispering sweet nothings to his cat and he chuckled.

"You know it doesn't understand you, right?"

"Of course it understands me, right Frosh?" - She lifted the cat and it licked her nose, making her giggle. - "See."

"Those words could be better used if you said it to a human being." - He smiled and she arched her brows at him.

"Oooh, like you? I didn't know you like to hear people said that you're cute and adorable? - Rogue rolled his eyes playfully.

"I didn't say that."

"Aww, look at him Frosh. He's shy, how cute." - She teased.

"Don't call me cute, please." - He scrunched his face and her smile stretched, she lifted the cat again and asked it. - "But it's true, right Frosh?"

*meow*

Lucy cackled and he grinned...

* * *

><p><strong>[4 days later]<strong>

"Uh huh, okay, I'll stop by late… No, no, no, I'll just walk, don't bring a limo to my school, Caprico… Yes, I'm sure… Okay, thank you, see you later…"

"So you kinda asked him to help you, huh?" – Erza asked. Erza, Lucy, and Levi were sitting at the canteen to have a drink. Fuji sensei was sick so they got 2 periods break. The rest of F1 probably was making a fuss somewhere else.

"Yeah, he's got what I need, but he said it was something that we have to talk directly." – Lucy stirred her espresso, then took a sip.

"You must be really care about him to even do this, huh?" – Levi said, smiling.

"Well, he's my friend, isn't he? You would do the same if you were me."

"True, but… Are you sure he's just a friend? Because I can see there's so much more than that." – Lucy blinked, then gulped at her implication and put on her annoying face, her usual mask to cover her nervousness.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" - She stammered.

"I saw the way you looked at him, you know." – Erza remarked.

"Don't lie to us Lucy, we're best friends, aren't we? You can trust us." – Levi stated softly. She liked seeing Lucy with her friends, she could feel a lot of attraction among them. Lucy sighed and regained her composure, putting her hand under her chin.

"Honestly, I really don't know what I'm feeling about him. But… that doesn't matter, he's got someone already." – She pouted then looked out of the windows. The sakura tree started to shed leaves, it was kinda cold outside, the Winter is coming.

"Really? Who?" – Erza and Levi shared a look. They were so sure that he had feeling for Lucy, but now she said that he got someone already?

"Yeah, both of them actually, but they didn't tell me who they were. That's something private." – Lucy sighed again, she really didn't want to talk about that, it made her feel really frustrated. Her friends decided to change the subject.

"Oh... Hey, can I ask you something? Which one is hotter? Sting or Rogue? I'm gonna say Sting, have you seen him without a shirt? Oh my god, those abs urggg…" – Levi said eagerly and Lucy chortled.

"Are you his fangirl or something because you sound exactly like one of them… And don't let Gajeel hear that." - She said, shaking her head.

"Well, I'm gonna vote for Rogue, he's less a jerk than Sting" – Erza deadpanned, then put another piece of her strawberry shortcake in her mouth.

"Sting's not a jerk, Erza. Well... Used to, but… Not anymore. Sting's hotter but Rogue's cooler. They're different from each other, but they're both my friends, both are sweet and both are idiots sometimes." – She commented, her boys were sure the best in her eyes. Levi giggled and Erza smiled.

"So you do have feeling for them?" – Back to the topic.

"I…don't know. I mean I've been having those strange feeling in my mind and my heart lately, but…maybe it's just some stupid crush people usually have on their best friends from time to time. Maybe it'll disappear after a while." – She shrugged.

"It won't go anywhere anytime soon." – Levi murmured to Erza and she nodded.

"I can hear you clearly, Levi." – Lucy narrowed her eyes, Levi just grinned at her best friend.

_We'll see about that Lucy. _She thought.

* * *

><p>"Hime-sama, you're home." – Virgo bowed at Lucy and she shook her head that the girl. <em>She surely doesn't change.<em>

"Nice to meet you, too, Virgo. Where's Caprico? Tell him to come to the study to see me."

"Hai." – She bowed again then ran off to find Caprico.

Lucy went home without telling her father and mother, she didn't see them anywhere so Jude was probably still working and Layla was… somewhere. She sat on the couch, looking around the big room which was full of books. This was the place where she and Rogue usually hid when they played hide and seek with Sting, the blond boy always feeling dizzy when he had to find them among all those bookshelves. She smiled at the memory, Sting would get annoyed after sometimes when he looked around and couldn't find anything or anybody but books and books.

There was so much fun back then when they were still kids, they didn't have many things to worry about. No complicated drama or complicated feelings. They fought, then made up. They expressed their feelings to one another freely, never had to worry whether what they said was good for their relationship or not. Because in the end, they would still be friends no matter what. Lucy had once looked at the stars in the sky at night, wishing that things would never change and that their friendship would stay like that, so they could be together forever.

But now… she knew it was impossible. Things were bound to change sooner or later. Her inside was changing, their insides were changing. She admitted that she was scared. She was scared that once they knew about her feelings for them, temporary or not, it would never be the same among them. And she was scared that when they found their true soul-mates, she would be left out with nothing but only her feelings for them. They were still closed, but who knew what was gonna happen tomorrow? When they knew the girls they had their eyes on also had feelings for them, perhaps?

She sighed. _I really know how to mess up my mind by myself._

*Knock knock*

"Come in, Caprico." – Caprico walked in and bowed to her.

_Really, how many times do I have to tell them to skip those prolix manners? _

"What took you so long, Caprico?" - He poured her some tea and she thanked him.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy-sama. I had to take care some of Jude-sama's business, it's very important."

"Oh? Sorry, no problem. Okay, straight to the point, what do you get?"

"Hai, about Hazumi Weisslogia, her real name is Suzuki Yosutora, she lived in Seven 5 months ago." – Lucy nodded, listening carefully.

"Her family was wealthy, but her relationship with her father wasn't very good, because she used her father's money like water for shopping, party, and her boyfriends. Her father declared that he had no daughter like her, after she made her mother fall off the stairs and broke her neck, without even saying apologize. It was 15 years ago." – Caprico said and her eyes widened_, _that was quite shocking if you asked her.

"What else?"

"You're right about her marriage status, Lucy-sama. She lived together with a man named Hanes Redwood when she were 24, they were kinda married 11 years ago, but without marriage certificate, so according to the law, she's still single."

"And they divorced?" – Lucy frowned.

"No, Lucy-sama. Hanes was killed a year after their wedding." – Her frown deepened. _Kill?_

"No wonder she doesn't want to tell us. He was robbed, or murdered, or something?" – She asked and Caprico shook his head.

"I think you should see these papers for yourself, Lucy-sama. It's very serious." – He said then handed her a file, she flipped every paper one by one until she caught an old article... She scowled at the picture... _Was that...? _Her face scrunched in confusion while she was reading it.

_What the?... _Lucy gulped, her jaw dropped and she felt like the air was leaving her lungs.

"Lucy-sama, are you okay?" - Caprico asked worriedly.

_Oh crap. _She stood up abruptly, then took the file and ran out of the room. She didn't give Caprico enough time to bow to her, she had to find Rogue or Sting as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, there was someone on her way.

"Lucy? What are you doing here?" – _Oh no, not this time. _It was her father's voice.

"Good evening, father. I'm sorry, but I have to go now. I'll talk to you later." – She waved to her father, but he didn't let her get away so fast like that.

"Stop right there, Lucy. Don't you have some manners? This is my friend, Celes-san and his son. Go greet them and join us in the living room, we have something to talk about." – Jude said firmly. Lucy quickly bowed to them, but turned to look at her father again.

"Father, please forgive me, but I have to go now. This is an emergency, it's very important, father." – She pleaded, but her father didn't even flinch.

"Important? What could be more important than your future?" - He said calmly.

"Wha.. what do you mean my future, father?" – She blinked and gave him a confuse look.

He sighed then patted the guy with orange hair standing next to him.

"Lucy, I want you to meet your future fiancé." - He said and the guy smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy." - He lifted her hand and kissed it, but Lucy was too shocked to react.

"WHAT?"

**End of chapter 11**

* * *

><p><strong>I tried my best to fix all the grammar errors but if they're still there... I'm so sorry.<br>I got some reviews guessing that Hazumi was some kind of spy or undercover agent, but I'm sorry to tell you guys that she was not, her profile wasn't fancy like that XD But I'm glad that you guy let me know about your theory :D :D  
><strong>

**Question: has anyone read the special chapter about Sabertooth? It has completely ruined my image about Rogue that I always had in my mind :)) Now it looks like _the Rogue _I created was really OOC **

**Anyway thank you again for reading, I'll see you guys next time :D**


	12. Chapter 12 - What happened?

**Hiiii! Nice to see you guys again! I bring you new chapter!**

**First of all, thank you for reading, following and making this your favorite story. :D I appreciate it a lot.**

**Thank you xxXScarletHeartXxx, AnimexXxLuvver, RogueXLucyduhbest, zin-chan-luvs-u, elriclucy, SimplyIsabelleS, lovely black kitty Ra149 and Rizuki Dhan for reviewing! I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**Rizuki Dhan: Aww, thank you, I'm glad to hear that.  
><strong>

**Special thanks to SimplyIsabelleS for proofread this as well as other chapters for me. Thank you much!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 12 - What happened?**

"WHAT?"

"Lucy, lower your voice." – Jude warned her and Lucy yanked her hand away from the guy.

"Father, you can't do this."

"Oh yes, I can. I'm sorry, Celes, Loke, about my daughter's manners. Lucy, go change into something more appropriate and join us, now." – He said decisively, leaving no room for argument.

"But father-"

"That's an order, Lucy." – He gestured Caprico – who had appeared behind Lucy the moment he heard her shout – to lead the guests to the living room. Lucy frowned, but bowed nonetheless. She stormed off to her room with Virgo following closely behind. Lucy slammed the door open and threw herself on her bed.

"He got me a fiancé? Urggg... What am I gonna do?" – Lucy cried out, burying her face in a pillow. Virgo quickly pulled out a dress from the closet for her to change.

"You just have to take it easy, Hime, maybe you'll like him." – Virgo beamed, but it just made Lucy feel even worse. _No, I won't like him, I… like somebody else. _Lucy pouted. _Aarggg… __No,__ no, no, don't think about that at this time, you have something more important to worry over right now, remember?_

She took a deep breath, then grabbed a white and pink Victorian style dress that Virgo handed her. Her father always wanted Lucy to wear that kind of clothes when they had some important guests. _What's wrong with my uniform? This dress is so… Heavy. _Lucy scowled, finding it hard to breath when the dress clasped around her waist tightly.

_Maybe I should call the boys and talk to them. _She thought. _They might want to know what I have found out. Concealing an enemy and not knowing who she is? That's dangerous. _

"Virgo, my phone… And you can go now, I'll be down in a minute." – Virgo tied the bow behind her back and handed her lady the phone. She bowed to Lucy, then left.

Lucy quickly dialed the number of Rogue, but he didn't pick up. She tried again, this time with Sting's number, but there was still no answer.

* * *

><p>"Okay, recruits, this day is the day that you've been waiting for, right? Show us what you got." – Sting's voice echoed. He and Rogue were selecting some new players for the team.<p>

"Hump… Pretty good, huh?" – Rogue raised his brows at the first recruit's trial, not so bad for some freshmen.

"Yeah, but they still need to improve a lot." – Sting nodded.

* * *

><p>*Toot toot toot*<p>

Lucy sighed. _Seriously?_ She pressed the number of Weisslogia's cell, but again…

"URGG, WHY IS NOBODY ANSWERING ME?" – She cried out. Luckily, her room was sound-proof. She was pacing back and forth when Aries walked in.

"Lucy-sama, are you done yet? Jude-sama requires your presence immediately." – The blonde inhaled deeply, then exhaled and nodded at her. _Okay, calm down, everything's gonna be fine. Maybe they haven't come home yet. What's more, __Hazumi__ doesn't know that I have found out about her past yet, so just pretend that everything's fine._

Lucy took a deep breath and walked down the hall to the living room. She didn't know why her father had to buy this big mansion, so big that it was freaking tiring to walk from the living room to her room, to the kitchen… Actually, to every other place as well. Virgo was waiting for her outside. When the servant saw the girl, she pushed the door open and Lucy forced a smile at her father's guests.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Celes and…"

"Loke." – Her new fiancé smirked sweetly.

"Loke. Nice to meet you."

She sat next down on the couch, next to her father. Lucy was calm outside but inside, she was freaking out. She was only 17 for God's sake, she didn't want to get married at this age, it's… Unhealthy and simply not right.

"Lucy, Mr. Celes and I are business colleagues. And his son, Loke, is a very famous model."

"I know, father, how could I not? He was in my perfect boyfriend list a long time ago." –Loke grinned at her when he heard that. His ego had its chance to boost again. - "Really?"

"Wait, you said 'was'? " – He hesitated.

"Yes, I crossed out your name after you got into a fight at a bar a year ago." – Lucy took a sip from her tea cup and smiled wryly at him. He laughed lightly.

Loke was very handsome with orange spiky hair and hazel eyes. He had the charisma and many fangirls. Lucy used to be one of them, but that was in the past. She disliked fighting very much, so he was out of her interest list after she read about it on Wizard Magazine.

"Oh, what a shame, but… I never wanted to be your boyfriend anyway, that's why I'm here, right, miss Lucy?" – He winked. Lucy inwardly rolled her eyes, but didn't snap back.

_Great, for 17 years I've never had a boyfriend and now, out of the blue, I have a fiancé. _

"Lucy, Loke asked me for your hand in marriage, it was his own will and I agreed. I think you two are very well-matched." – Jude said and Celes nodded in approval.

"Well-matched? You agreed without even asking about my opinion?" – _How dare they sit there and decide on my future on their own? _She thought angrily.

"Well, I think you should agree, too. Loke is my friend's son, he said he's loved you for a very long time and this is his wish. I've never seen you in a relationship before, so this is perfect. You can get to know him after your official engagement." – He said nonchalantly like he was talking about weather. It was his only daughter's future and he talked about it… Like weather. Lucy rubbed her forehead tiredly. _Oh my God. _

"Lucy, I know it sounds crazy to you, but I'm sure my son could bring you the happiness that you deserve." – Celes coaxed and she scowled. _Your son is a mere womanizer, Mister._

"Mr Celes, father, and Loke, I'm so sorry for what I'm gonna say next. Yet, I'll do it anyway." – Lucy stood up, inhaled, and said on one breath.

"I'm… Honored to be offered to marry Loke, but his is my future, not yours, so don't just sit there and tell me what to do. First: I'm not old enough to marry, or even think about the marriage. Second: Loke, we don't even know each other, and third: I already have my eyes on someone else, so this is a no from me. Now, if you're excuse me, I have something more important to do." – Lucy deadpanned and turned around to leave.

Her father face became white, this was the first time his daughter dared to embarrass him in front of his guests. He glanced at Celes and saw him almost dropped his jaw on the ground, Loke looked like he was trying not to laugh out loud. Blood rushed to his face and his fists were clenched, he stood up and called after her.

"Lucy, get back here, that is impolite-" – Jude said, but he was cut short by Celes.

"It's okay, Jude, maybe she just needs some time to think it over." – Celes shook his head slightly. Jude looked at his daughter but she already disappeared behind the door, he sighed and sat down again.

"Woa, she's got the spirit, that's what I'm talking about!" – Loke commented. He didn't mind waiting, he had waited for 7 years, he could wait a little longer.

_Lucy, I finally met you again. _He grinned.

* * *

><p>"Come on, get away from me, you stupid dress!" – Lucy murmured. She put on her white shorts skirt and pink tank top, then tied her hair high up with a yellow ribbon.<p>

"Virgo, where's my mother?" – She grabbed her phone and dialed the number of Weisslogia again.

"Eeehhh, she's… In… The hospital, Hime." – Virgo said that last part quietly. Lucy's eyes widened and she spun around.

"WHAT? She's in the hospital and nobody told me? What happened to her?" – Lucy cried out. Her mother was in the hospital and here her father was, staying at home and telling her that he got her a fiancé.

"I'm so sorry, Hime, I forgot. Please, just punish me." – She said nonchalantly and Lucy facepalmed.

"What happened to my mother, Virgo?" – Lucy shouted and shook Virgo's shoulder real hard.

"She sprained her ankle when she was gardening, Hime. And Jude-sama insisted that she must stay at the hospital. But other than that, I think she's fine." – Virgo bowed again and Lucy sighed with relief.

_Thank God. _Lucy didn't know how she would live if something bad happened to her mother. _I'll visit her after I'm done with this mess. _

"Okay, thank you, Virgo. I have to go now, bye." – She hugged her maid, then ran out of the room. She needed to get out of here as soon as possible, her father must be really mad at her right now. Once again, she pulled out the cell phone and tried calling Weisslogia.

_I wonder if mama agreed to this or not. Maybe not, she always said that she want me to be happy, this arranged marriage is not something sounds… happy. C'mon, uncle, pick up the phone._

Lucy slowed her pace. There was no need to rush, she had to think first.

'_Hello.'_

"Oh thank God, uncle, there's something I need to tell you."

_'Lucy? Okay, what's wrong?'_

"Where are you uncle? It's too loud, are you home?"

_'No, I'm at the company Lucy, we're celebrating 10 years of the foundation.' _– The noise died down, maybe he moved to where it was quieter.

"Uncle, is Hazumi there?" – She hoped not, Lucy didn't want to say this to Weisslogia with her presence in front of him.

_'No, she's home, she said that she __was tired__ so she didn't come. Lucy what's wrong?'_

"Uncle…" – Lucy bit her lip. _Should I tell him now or should I wait?_ - "You have to believe me when I say this to you…" – _Okay, no turning back now, don't hesitate. _– "I had my butler find some information about Hazumi and… We found out that she was married before. Uncle… Her husband was Hanes Redwood… You know who he was, right, uncle?… Uncle?" – Lucy held her breath, waiting for Weisslogia's response.

"Uncle, are you all right?" – Lucy said again, this time louder.

_'Ye… Yeah, Lucy, I know… He was Sting's biological father…'_ - He murmured and Lucy had to try so hard to hear what he was saying.

"Uncle…"

_'I have to go.'_ – He said swiftly and she heard nothing more but the 'toot' sound of the hung up. She sighed, then quickened her step to her friends' house. Lucy hoped that Sting and Rogue weren't home yet. She wanted to talk to _that woman_ first.

* * *

><p>Lucy took out her own key from her pocket. She was family to them, so they thought that it would be okay if she had their key.<p>

"Hazumi?" – Lucy pushed the door open quietly. She had to admit that she was a little scared after she found out who Hazumi really was. According to what she had read in the file, that woman could go crazy if she didn't careful.

She looked for her in the kitchen and the living room, but Hazumi was nowhere to be found.

"Strange, her shoes are outside." – She thought, but then heard a noise from Sting's room, so she decided to check it.

"Hazu-… What do you think you're doing?" – Lucy frowned. The woman was standing in the middle of his room, contemplating herself in her hand mirror, around her neck was a locket.

"Oh, Lucy? What are you doing here, honey? I was cleaning Sting's room when I caught this under his bed, so I just… Tried it on, no big deal, right?" – She said and got back to look at herself in the mirror.

Lucy moved forwards and yanked the locket away from her.

"You're a liar, you know that, this locket belonged to aunt Belle – Sting's mother, he loves it very much and he will never let it lay under the bed. He keeps it in the drawer next to his mother's photograph. Tell me, Hazumi, you were cleaning his room, or you were rummaging around?" – Hazumi seemed stunned, Lucy was always very nice to her.

"O… kay? It's just a locket, Lucy - from his mother and she was six-feet under, I'm going to be his new mother sooner or later, don't make a fuss about this, dear." – She narrowed her eyes and Lucy glared back, folding her arms.

"I'm sorry to tell you that it's not gonna happen, not now, not ever. You're gonna be kicked out of this house sooner or later, Hazumi… Or should I say… Suzuki?" – Lucy said and Hazumi's eyes widened. _She knew?_

"What are you talking about, Lucy?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Suzuki, I know exactly who you are, your curtain has fallen."

She pulled the chair from Sting's desk and sat on it, facing Suzuki, who just kept staring at her blankly. Lucy opened the file she was holding and read it out loud.

"I'll skip unnecessary details about your identity. Straight to the point, your husband was Hanes Redwood, ex-husband of Belle Eucliffe – Sting's mother. 5 years after their divorce, you two were married. A year after your wedding he broke into a house and tortured a woman there when her husband was away, in front of their son. He shot her after that and the son shot him in defense…"

Lucy closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath. – "That husband was Weisslogia, that wife was aunt Belle, and the son… Was Sting." – She mumbled that last part. Her heart was clenched at the thought about what happened to him. She opened her eyes to look at the woman in front of her again.

"How do you know?" – She asked coldly and Lucy scoffed.

"No matter how hard you try to hide it, I'll always find out anything if I want to, I'm a Heartfilia, remember?" – Suzuki gave her a sick laugh, different from all the laughs Lucy had heard from her before.

"Weisslogia was right, you are smart. Guess that I underestimated you, kid. I thought you were just a blond bimbo, nothing more and nothing less." – She smirked and Lucy glared at her harder. She hated it when people called her bimbo.

"Hanes Redwood, my dear husband. I was crazy in love with him back then. We met at a club where I was working as a stripper. White hair, blue eyes, he was so handsome." – Suzuki said, closing her eyes and the images of her lover flooded back.

"Why are you here, Suzuki?" – Lucy said, ending her daydream.

"To take back what is mine." – She gritted her teeth. – "You know what is the most painful thing when you're in love, Lucy? For it to be unrequited. Hanes never loved me, he always loved that bitch."

"Don't you dare to talk about her like that." – Lucy snapped, Suzuki just smirked.

"Hanes was as crazy about her as I was crazy about him. 5 years passed and he could never forget her. He was extremely jealous when he heard that she was going to be married to Weisslogia – an attractive and talented man." – Her expression suddenly turned solemn, like she was in pain.

"But I don't care, I love him and that's all that mattered, I just needed to be with him, to stay by his side, because he was all I need. My father abandoned me, I had no friends, my man didn't love me. _That woman, _she had everything I wanted: a son, a husband who loved her dearly, a home." – She snickered sickly.

"BUT THAT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH FOR THAT SLUT, SHE HAD TO TAKE THE LAST THING THAT I HAD EVER LOVED." – Suzuki screamed and Lucy was startled, but she tried to calm her breath. _She's crazy._

"After his death, I was depressed and had to go to a mental asylum in Seven. 8 years later, my father, because of a little affection and gratitude that he had left, freed me from there. I barely started a new life and when I read an article about _that man, _those memories came back." – Suzuki was looking outside of the window, the sun was setting down. She turned to face Lucy, who was still listening carefully.

"I sold every I had and moved to Fiore. I'm here for revenge, my dear. My plan was working perfectly fine, I was going to separate this family and take everything they have…" – She dragged a half-smile out of her lips and walked near Sting's desk. She pulled out a drawer to find something. Lucy's eyes were following her movements.

"But… A little gossiper had to butt in and ruin it. *sigh*… Teenagers these days need to learn to mind their own business." – Suzuki raised her arms, a scissors was in her hand and she aimed at Lucy's head. The scissors whoosh across the room, Lucy's eyes widened, but she dodged it just in time.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU CRAZY?" – She shouted and Suzuki laughed insanely.

"Tsk… I used to be in an asylum, remember?" – She rushed at Lucy and grabbed the scissors that was plunging into the door, Suzuki was about to stab the girl at the shoulder, yet, Lucy evaded it again. Instead, Suzuki snatched her hair when she tried to run to the door. Lucy cried in pain.

"Where are you going, little bird?" – She brandished the scissors again, but Lucy kicked her stomach, making her fall against the door. Lucy looked around the room to find something she could use as a weapon. _The lamp. _She rushed to the dressing-table, but Suzuki was faster. The woman grabbed her arms, then pinned Lucy down on the bed and attempted to stab at her face.

"DIE, DIE, DIE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

"HELP!" – Lucy screamed and moved her head to dodge; the scissors scratched her cheek and red blood appeared on the tip of the metal object.

She grabbed the pillow to block another jab and tried her best to kick the bigger woman away from her. Finally, Lucy reached the lamp on the dressing-table and swung it at Suzuki's face. The woman lost her balance and Lucy quickly got up. Yet again, Suzuki grabbed her ankle before she got the chance to get out of the bed. She kicked her in the face. Lucy, terrified by the hand still grasping her leg, repeated the movement. Suzuki let go after the third kick.

"You're annoying, you know that, motherfucker." – Suzuki didn't give up, her secret was revealed, it was just a matter of time before Weisslogia and his sons found out, she had nothing left to lose.

"If you didn't exist, maybe my plan would go smoothly." – She licked the tip of the scissors, which was stained in Lucy's blood. Lucy was standing on one side of the bed while Suzuki was standing on the other side, blocking the way to the door.

Lucy turned around to opened the door leading to balcony, trying to find a way to get down. Suzuki ran at her with her scissors again. This time, she aimed at her stomach.

"STOP IT!" – Lucy shouted and grasped her hand to prevent Suzuki from stabbing her. She moved to hammerlock the crazy woman from behind, but unintentionally pushed her too hard. Suzuki lost her balance and tripped over the balcony.

"NO!" – Lucy gripped Suzuki's arm, trying to pulled her up.

"Don't… let… go!" – Lucy yelled, but her own hands were slipping. Suzuki laughed madly again.

"Hypocrite." - She gritted her teeth. Suddenly, the hanging woman used the scissors to stab Lucy's hand, making her cry out in pain. Her other hand tugged on Lucy's pony-tail, hard enough to drag the girl down with her. Both of them fell off the balcony. During the short flight, Suzuki continued to jab her shoulder and the girl almost blackened out, but before she lost her consciousness, she heard a blurred voice…

"LUCY!"

_Sting? Rogue? _

She felt something hard beneath her and everything went dark.

* * *

><p>"Okay, people, that's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow." – Sting said and everybody on the basketball court got ready to leave.<p>

"Hey, Rogue, something's wrong?" – Sting asked when he realized his friend didn't focus. – "You seem worried."

Rogue knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah, something's wrong, but… I don't know what it is."

"Okay? Maybe you're hungry."

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, keep telling yourself until your dinner time… " – He grabbed his bag and took out his phone to check some messages. _5 missing calls from Lucy?. _

"5 missing calls from Lucy?" – Rogue said out loud like he was reading Sting's mind.

"You, too?" – Rogue nodded and pressed the call button.

"She's not picking up?" – Sting added when Rogue hung up.

"Yeah, it went to the voice mail." – Sting shrugged and both started to walk home. _Maybe she wanted to join us for the dinner? _Rogue thought.

"Hey, Sting, has father told you about whether you could move outside or not?" – Rogue asked although he already knew the answer.

"He declined, I bet it's because of _that woman. _Urggg… What am I suppose to do to get away from her, Rogue?" – Sting groaned. Rogue didn't answer, he was deep in thought again. _I wonder how far has Lucy got with her little investigation? I haven't heard from her for four days._

"Don't worry, they say we reap as we sow, so if she's a bad person, she won't stay in this home for long." – He said calmly. They turned left and their house appeared under the fading sunlight.

"I feel bad for dad, because he's going to bring home a devil… Oh wait, he already has." – He rolled his eyes and Rogue snored.

"HELP!" – They froze at the scream coming from their house. _Lucy. _Both of them ran back rapidly to their house. Rogue was faster. He slammed the door open and looked around to find Lucy. Sting was following closely behind.

"LUCY?" – They both shouted and another yell answered them.

"NO!" – _Upstairs. _They thought, then sprinted to where they had heard her voice. Sting pushed the door open to find Hazumi grabbing Lucy's hair. Their eyes widened in horror and before they could rush at her side, Lucy fell off.

"LUCY!"

_No, __no,__ no, please, please, don't do this to me, Lucy. _They ran out of the house to the back yard and Rogue pulled out his phone to call the ambulance.

"Lucy, no. Please, wake up." – Sting knelt down and hugged her body closely to him. _Oh, my God. _

"ROGUE, STING!" – Weisslogia hastily approached them, he was opening the door when he heard his sons' yell. – "Oh, God, get them to the car, now." – Sting scooped her in his arms and did what his father said. Rogue carried Hazumi on his back. Weisslogia drove on his fastest speed to bring the unconscious women to the nearest hospital.

Rogue pulled out his shirt and pressed to her wound to stop the blood loss. _So much… blood. _Sting shut his eyes, tears began to gather at the corner of his eyes, some of them fell down on her cheek. His mind was full of those images again. _Mommy, please help her, I can't lose her. _Rogue bit his lip, he touched her hand but it was so cold. It worried him even more. Her usually warm hand was so cold right now. He tried to hold back tears, his whole body was shaking. He looked at the unconscious woman lying next to him.

_I hope you die and if you don't, I will make you. _He thought angrily.

* * *

><p>Weisslogia held his head between his hands. <em>This is all my fault. <em>Lucy was an innocent girl, she was like a daughter to him, and he didn't know what would happen if they lose her. He probably would have to live with this sin for the rest of his life.

He lifted his head to look at his sons. Their expressions were blank and it broke his heart. He had lost the woman he loved 10 years ago and now, he lost them. _I didn't deserve __to be__ their father, what am I supposed to tell Layla and Jude?. _They were waiting outside the emergency room, the doctors were conducting a surgery. He called Jude just a minute ago and he knew he couldn't get away from Jude's rage. Not like he wanted to, whatever he was to get, he was sure that he deserved it.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" – Layla ran to Weisslogia and grabbed the front of his shirt. She had forgotten about her sprained ankle the moment she heard that her precious daughter was in the hospital. He hung down his head and told them what happened. Caprico then explained everything he had found about Hazumi to Jude, Layla, Weisslogia and his sons. The Weisslogia barely had time to react when the breadwinner of the family received a punch from the most wealthy man in country.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" – Jude shouted and punched Weisslogia's face, breaking his nose, but he didn't fight back. It took Sting, Rogue, and a male nurse to keep Jude away from him. Layla almost fainted from what she had heard.

_My daughter. _She thought and busted into a convulsive sobs. The heavy air embraced all of them, nobody said anything. They were all quiet, only the gentle sobs of Layla were to be heard. Sting covered his eyes and cried silently again. He was praying for Lucy's sake.

_Please, help her, mommy. Please, bring her back to me, to us. _

After 2 hours of waiting, the door of the surgery room opened and a man in white blouse walked out. They all rushed to him.

"Doctor, how is my daughter?"

"Lucy Heartfilia?" – He asked and they all nodded.

"The critical condition is gone, but she would be in a coma for the next few days."

"How are her injuries? Are they serious?" – Jude said impatiently.

"She was stabbed in left hand, left shoulder and fell down from the first floor, but luckily for the girl, the woman… Miss Hazumi, she hit the ground first, so Lucy had avoided the brain injury. Miss Hazumi, however, couldn't make it. I'm so sorry." – He said and they didn't know what else to do but nodded, all of them feeling kinda relieved.

_Thank God. _

* * *

><p><strong>[A week later]<strong>

"Sting, focus!" – Rogue yelled, but Sting missed another pass of Rufus. His teammates eyed their captain with worry. It had been a week since _that accident, _the news spread around the school like fire and Lucy's close friends from F1 were furious. If it weren't for Jellal, Sabertooth and Fairy Tail would have a fight. They knew it wasn't Sting nor Rogue's fault, but the case happened at their house, so her friends couldn't help but blame them for not being able to protect her. The tension between two guilds had a chance to blow up again.

Hazumi/Suzuki was dead. Only her parents came to her funeral, a death of a meaningless life. Sting heard from Caprico about the true identity of Hazumi at the hospital, but he didn't care anymore. The only worry lingering in his mind was Lucy. The woman had finally got out of their life, but the price was too big. Sting and Rogue came to visits her regularly, but she wouldn't open her eyes. Sometimes her friends would be there, too, but they didn't talk.

He wanted to see those chocolate-browns pupils so badly, looking at him with mischief and vitality, he wanted to hear her yell at him or even hit him, to see her face blush in embarrassment. He missed her smile, her laugh. She was too quiet, the Lucy he knew wasn't quiet like that. Sting was sorrowful the whole week and except for Rogue, people hardly talked to him anymore, because they didn't know when he would bust. He didn't even mind, he just wanted people to leave him alone.

"Sorry." – He murmured.

Rogue sighed, he didn't know how long he could keep Sting in line. Between two of them, Rogue was the one who had to be of sound mind when this kind of situation came up. Both of them couldn't be defeated at the same time. Without Lucy, he was the only one who could lead Sting go through this dark path.

"Focus, Sting, Lucy will laugh at your face when she wakes up and sees you play like a dork." – He deadpanned and Sting frowned – his usual expression lately.

"I don't play like a dork."

"Then focus, the sport congress is going to happen in 2 weeks and Fairy Tail will skin you alive with their rage if you'll keep on staggering like a zombie." – Rogue pinched Sting's ear, making him yelp.

"Oww, what the hell, you asshole?"

"Look at me when I'm talking to you."

"I'm worried, okay? Give me a break." – Sting scowled and Rogue nudged him, hard.

"You think I'm not? But worrying is not gonna help her wake up, Sting. You have to believe in her, she's a strong girl, she will make it." – _She has to. _He thought.

Sting let out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah." – He nodded.

* * *

><p>"You bought roses?" – Sting asked. He was holding a bag full of milk and fruits, he was going to give them to Layla – Lucy's mother. Her health was getting bad because of her anxiousness, Lucy would be upset if her mother was sick.<p>

"Yeah, the Lilies her friends sent were withered. Beside Orchid, Lucy likes all kind of flowers, too, so don't worry." – Rogue said, enjoying the bunch of red roses. A little color would bring something fresh to Lucy's sickroom.

They were walking to Lucy's room when they saw Layla's head poke out.

"Doctor! My daughter has awakened." – She called and a doctor with some nurses quickly came in. Rogue and Sting shared a look, then ran to her place.

"Aunt Layla! Lucy has awakened?" – She smiled widely at them, tears were in her eyes and she nodded. They walked in and Lucy immediately turned to look at them.

"Lucy!" - They almost shouted, totally forgetting that they were in a hospital.

"Miss Lucy, how do you feel?" – The doctor asked gently.

"Ehm… fine, I guess?" – She said quietly, looking around slowly as if she was searching for something. She looked back at the boys and they beamed at her. Rogue waved at her, she forced a small smile. Sting frowned slightly, his heart was roaming against his throat.

"Her condition is stable, Mrs. Heartfilia, you can see her now. If there's something wrong, just tell me." – The doctor examined her and said to Layla. The staff left, leaving Sting, Rogue, and Layla with her.

"Hey, Lucy, honey. Are you thirsty or something? Can I get anything?" – Layla caressed her cheek, but Lucy just kept staring at the woman and two boys with her big eyes. She tilted her head and asked.

"Who are you? And what happened?"

...

**End of chapter 12**

* * *

><p><strong>I felt bad when I wrote the scene between Lucy and HazumiSuzuki :D. Huhm... maybe I should have made her live longer, is this chapter too rush? XD. **

**The idea about Lucy loosing her memory seems cliché. I hope you don't mind. :D**

**Anyway thank you for reading, I'll see you guys soon ^^~**


	13. Chapter 13 - New life

**Chào mọi người! Hi, everyone XD It's Merikatori again!**

**Thank you for reading, following, making this your favorite!**

**Special thanks to: AnimexXxLuvver, Rizuki Dhan, zin-chan-luvs-u, Annechase, xxXScarletHeartXxx, ZaxForever, SimplyIsabelleS (my beta 3), Nalu StiLu Rolu Love, Guest, nicole143mb and TelloPello for reviewing! Your reviews made me so happy!**

TellePello: **I'm glad that you enjoyed it :D Honesty, I really don't know XD But I asked Google-sama and I think it does XD**

NaLu StiLu Rolu Love: **Well, I love my life, so here your newest chapter :))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 13 - New life**

Urgg…Where am I?_ – The girl opened her eyes, rubbing them to clear her vision. She blinked, it took her almost thirty seconds to become aware of the fact that all around her it was black and she couldn't see anything. Her mind was empty. _

What happened?

_She stood up and begun to walk carefully. She was scared that she might fall because of the darkness. The girl blinked again, but squeezed her eyes shut when a headache appeared_. Gahh…._ She pinched the bridge of her nose to stop the pain. _

_The girl re-opened her eyes and saw her surroundings changed. She spotted a white straight line at the horizon. Slowly, the line curved into different shapes all around her: buildings, streets, lamps, a school, a very big house – she guessed. All of them were black, but they bordered with white, so she could figure out their shapes. It looked like a painting, she thought. The girl suddenly heard laughter and she spun around to find the source of the noise. _

_"Hello?" – She called, but nobody answered her. Out of nowhere, a group of… people appeared. She knew that they were talking and laughing and teasing one another, but she couldn't figure out what they were talking about. The strangest thing was they were all white, like paper, with no faces or clothes, just white human shapes. Lucy frowned. _Where the hell is this place?._ She lifted her hands and looked at them, but it was so dark. Those shades walked pass her and she opened her mouth._

_"H… hello?" _

_Right after that, all those forms stopped and everything was quiet for a moment. They suddenly started to come near her and she took a step back, scared. Her mouth was rigid although she didn't feel intimidated._

_They approached her slowly, closer, closer, until their shapes joined together in one, then it came even closer and faster. She started to panic. The white shadow raised its arm while holding something that looked like a knife. The girl turned around to run, but the shadow changed to some kind of rope and gripped both of her arms. A sharp bolt of pain burst in her hand and shoulder. She cried, but no sound came out. That was when she found herself falling into the darkness with no ending point._

* * *

><p>Her eyes snapped open. There was a white ceiling facing her. The girl panted slightly and winced in pain when she tried to sit up. She slowly looked to the left and saw a cardiograph which was running monotonously. <em>I'm in… A hospital?. <em>Her left hand was bandaged, as well as her left shoulder, she could see the white cloth under her light blue shirt. The girl frowned at her injuries, but her face stretched when she heard a small groan. She turned to look at her right arm. Her hand was held by a woman and she was sleeping, the girl assumed. She stirred her fingers and the woman woke up immediately. She widened her eyes.

"Lucy! Thank God, you're okay."

_Lucy? My name is Lucy? Why don't I remember that?. _She thought, but before she could say anything, the woman quickly opened the door and sticked her head out.

"Doctor! My daughter has awakened."

_Daughter? She's my mom? No, she's not my mom. My mom is… Who is my mom? _She frowned.

A doctor with two nurses appeared and they swiftly checked her state. Following them there were the woman and… Two guys. One of them was blond and the other had black hair.

"Lucy!" – They said loudly and the girl blinked at them.

"Miss Lucy, how do you feel?" – _Okay, so my name's Lucy. _She looked back at the doctor.

"Ehh… Fine, I guess?" – The doctor nodded. Lucy took her time to look around the room. There were two closed windows on the left and it was pretty dark outside. She turned to look at the clock on the opposite wall, it was 6.30 PM. On her right, there was a small table with lots of gifts, cards, and a bunch of red Roses.

She diverted her look to those guys and they smiled widely. She locked her eyes with the one who had black hair. He waved at her.

_Seriously, who are they? _She forced a smile. _Maybe it'll be impolite to not return their gesture. _She was about to raised her hand to wave back, but the doctor cut her short.

"Her condition is stable, Mrs. Heartfilia, you can see her now. If there's something wrong, just tell me." – And with that, he and the nurses left. The woman quickly approached her. She stroked Lucy's cheeks and asked nicely.

"Hey, Lucy, honey. Are you thirsty or something? Can I get you anything?" – Lucy blinked and stared at them again.

_Come one, try to think, who are they?_

She tried to force her brain to work, but nothing came out. She was slightly panicked, but she told herself to calm down. Lucy tilted her head and asked.

"Who are you? And what happened?"

* * *

><p>Layla, Rogue, and Sting were stunned at her question.<p>

"What do you mean, Lucy? This is not funny, we're so worried about you." – Layla said. Rogue exchanged a wordless glance with Sting. Perhaps they both knew what was going on.

Lucy scowled. - "No, I'm serious, who are you? You're my mom? Why can't I remember you? – Lucy started mouthing, her nervousness was rising at the woman's answer. – "What happened to my hand, my shoulder? Who are they? Where is my family?" – Her breath quickened. The duo widened their eyes and instantly came to her sides while Layla took her hand.

"Hey, hey, Lucy… Calm down, honey. I'm here, I'm your mother. Calm down, okay? Breath." – She said and Lucy slowly regain her composure.

"That's it, inhale, exhale. Just, be cool, okay? Everything will be fine, I promise." – Layla kissed her forehead, making her feel warm.

"Lucy…" – Rogue called quietly and Lucy turned to him. She tried to think again, but gave up when a slight pain slowly came to her head.

"Are you my family?" – She asked innocently and he smiled tenderly at her.

"Yes, Lucy. I'm your family. We're you family." – He said, gesturing at Sting and himself.

"Oh, so… Who is younger?" – Her look darted between two guys who were staring quizzically at her.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you're both my older brothers, or my younger brothers, or something?" – She said and their mouths dropped.

"What?!" – They almost yelled at her and Layla scolded them.

"Shhhh… both of you."

"Gomenasai, Layla-san…" – Sting scratched his head and turned to Lucy again. – "No, Lucy, we're not your brothers or anything. We're your friends, actually. I'm Sting and this is Rogue." – Sting smiled and Lucy was motionless for a second.

_His smile looks so sad. _She thought.

"Lucy, why didn't you tell the doctor that you can't remember anything in the first place?" – Layla stroked her hair.

"Well, I thought that I would remember after a while, but clearly I can't." – She murmured.

Rogue took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"It's fine, we're glad that you're okay." – Sting nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, we could deal with this problem later." – He added. Lucy smiled at them and let out a relieved sigh. _I hope so. _

"Oh, and… What happened?"- She asked while yawning. Sting and Rogue looked at Layla, she slightly shook her head.

"It was an accident, you should rest and we'll tell you later, okay?" – Layla smiled and Lucy nodded. She lied down and Layla carefully tucked her in. Sleep came quickly and her mind was sunk in darkness.

Layla, Rogue, and Sting stayed together in silence, listening to her breath. Their minds, unlike hers, were filled with new anxiety. After almost ten minutes, Layla broke the silence in the room.

"She's fine now, Sting, Rogue. You two go home and rest, I'll talk to the doctor in the morning." – She smiled in motherly fashion at them.

They lifted their heads to look at her, then smiled back slightly. - "Hai, Layla-san." – The duo said obediently.

Rogue handed her the bag with fruits and milk, telling her to rest as well, and walked out. Sting kissed her cheek, then followed him.

Outside of the hospital, the sun had already set a while ago, the light from street's lamps lightened their way, but not their hearts and minds. Everything was gone. The way she looked at them with blank expression, it made them feel like all the memories they had together had never existed.

Sting sighed. He had hoped that when she woke up, he could tell her that how sad he had been all the week, that he appreciated what she had done, and he wouldn't let anything like this ever happened to her again. But, it didn't matter anymore.

"I mean what I said, she's okay and that's the best." – Rogue said, glancing at his companion. Sting quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I meant it, too. When I nodded in agreement, you know." – Sting rolled his eyes in irritation. Rogue made it sound like he attached more importance to Lucy's amnesia than Lucy's well-being.

"You look disappointed." – Rogue stated and Sting stared at him in disbelief.

"Seriously? Lucy-has-an-amnesia, it makes her loose all her memories about us, about her family, and friends. Of course I'm disappointed, what did you expect? I dare you to tell me that you don't feel the same." – Sting furrowed his brows.

"Yes, I do, but I also have a hunch that she's gonna regain her memories soon, so don't worry." – Rogue said calmly and Sting made a face.

"A hunch?" – Rogue nodded.

…

"A hunch." – Sting repeated.

"*sigh* Yes, a hunch." – Rogue replied.

"Hunch?" – Sting looked at his friend weirdly. Rogue sounded like some kind of psychic. Rogue gave him a bored look.

"Yeah, a feeling that something is gonna happen in future exactly as you expect it to, if you don't understand, google it." – Rogue responded mockingly. Sting only shrugged.

"Well, your hunch worked last time." – He murmured.

Both of them knew that he was referring to the time at the basketball court, before _that _happened.

"I wish we had come home earlier." – Sometimes, a minute or just mere ten seconds would make everything different. Sting sighed again. _Now that the damage is done, there's nothing we can change. _

"Focus on what's important, Sting. I hope that Lucy's amnesia is just temporary. Maybe we can help her recover or something." – Rogue patted Sting's back. _So do I._

* * *

><p><strong>[5 days later]<strong>

"Do they always behave like that?" – Lucy said, looking at her friends who were still bickering and wrestling, like usual.

"Yeah, always." – Levi smiled and shook her head slightly.

"Natsu, Gray, stop it. We're in the hospital." – Erza said firmly, leaving no room for argument and they immediately halted, mumbling apologies.

It had been five days since she woke up. The doctor had come to examine her condition again the next morning. He had said that because of Lucy's collision with the ground from her fall, her brain was having a post-traumatic amnesia. Amnesia was rather rare, however, he couldn't have told whether it was temporary or not. Some people only needed a week to get back to their previous condition, some people needed two weeks, sometimes a month. It depended on patients' cooperation. The doctor had said that he would write out a prescription for her to help her regain memories, but he had also said that if the recuperation process lasted more than two months, that meant she had to fill her mind with new ones.

Despair had been written all over Lucy's face when she had heard that. The chances now were 50/50, there was nothing that ensured she could completely recover. She had also asked her mother what had happened again, but Layla, along with Sting and Rogue, had decided Lucy should wait. That was horrible and definitely not something they should tell a patient when she was still recovering.

Besides Sting and Rogue, Erza, Natsu, Levi, Gray, sometimes Gajeel, and Juvia would come to see her every now and then. They talked much and her friends told her stories of 'the previous Lucy'. Lucy always listened carefully, but she found it hard to comprehend all of those thing about 'the previous Lucy' that they told her.

"Hey, when will you be discharged from hospital, Lucy? The sport congress is going to happen in about a week, we want you to come and see us playing against Sabertooth." – Natsu beamed and cracked his knuckles, he couldn't wait to crash those Tigers.

"Yeah, I really want to see their faces when the judges announce we are the winners." – Gray added excitedly.

"Huhmp… I'm not sure, but I think I will be released next week, hopefully before the game." – Lucy said, looking at the ceiling. Her hand and shoulder weren't fully healed yet. She still couldn't move them much, but they definitely had got better.

"I'm glad that you're okay, Lucy." – Natsu suddenly said, staring at her intently, she blinked.

"Thanks, Natsu." – And gave him a tender smile. Natsu looked at her ruddy face and his cheeks were slightly reddish, the room started to heat up.

Gray rolled his eyes while Levi and Erza exchanged a meaningful glance. As soon as Natsu lifter his head to look at her again to say something, he was cut off by a cough. All of them turned to the door to look at the intruders. Natsu even glared at them. The silence was settled among them, it was truly awkward and unbearable. Lucy eyes flew back and forth between her classmates and her childhood friends.

"Is… Something… Wrong?" – She hesitated. Erza looked at Lucy over her shoulder, maybe it was time to leave.

"Nothing. We should go now, sleep well, Lucy." – Erza gave her a small smile and Lucy waved at her. Levi hugged her slightly and followed the red-haired girl. Gray rubbed her hair and finally, Natsu pecked her cheek. She blushed at the gesture, not expecting such an act.

"Good night, Lucy." – He mumbled.

Natsu could feel a glare that screamed murder behind his back from a certain person, but he paid no heed. Lucy bid him a goodbye and Natsu walked slowly out of the room, not forgetting to glare at the blonde who was clearly waiting for him to get lost.

_Revenge is soooo sweet. _Natsu inwardly smirk.

Lucy stared at them. Somehow, the scene sent some déjà vu to her mind. Rogue raised his hand to greet her but she didn't notice him.

"Are you all right, Lucy?" – Rogue sensed her wandering thoughts and snapped her out of daydream. His hands were working with the vase and the flowers on the small table beside her sickbed.

"Y…yeah." – She said, reassuring him. The door closed and Sting breathed out in irritation. _He did it on purpose. _He moved to sit on the chair near her bed, smiling at her.

"What was that?" – Lucy asked.

"What… Was what?" – Sting responded, cocking his head.

"I could clearly feel the pressure between you and Natsu, why? You two don't get along?" – She required.

_Exactly. _Sting thought.

"Yeah, we weren't very fond of each other. In short, he hates me and the feeling is mutual." – Rogue snorted at the statement, Sting sent him a glare.

"Hate? Oh please, you don't hate him." – Rogue murmured quietly but Lucy caught that. She gave Sting a look of pure surprise.

Sting sighed before said in uncaring manner. – "Well, I don't practically like him either. But you, Rogue, admire him so much, don't you? – Sting smirked at his friends, Lucy's look transferred to Rogue and he rolled his eyes.

"Admired, not admire."

"Why?" – Lucy cocked her head aside. – "Something happened between you guys in the past?".

"Mostly between Sting and Natsu, I'm not involved..." – Rogue paused, peeling an apple before spoke again. - "…And the reason for what happened was totally stupid." – Rogue deadpanned. He handed her a small piece of apple. Lucy took it, then thanked him.

"It's not stupid and he started it, okay?" – Sting grunted, his partner just merely shrugged. Sting looked back at Lucy who was munching the fruit like a squirt, clearly expecting him to tell the anecdote like a kid waiting for bedtime story.

He sighed. - "It happened when we were ten…"

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Flashback]<em>**

_"Hey, Rogue, have you seen Lector?" – Sting asked, frantically looking around to find the red cat. Today was 'Pet's day', everyone in his class had to bring a pet and introduce it to his/her classmates. It was playtime and Sting had left Lector in his class to go to the restroom, he couldn't bring a cat along when he was relieving himself._

_"You lost Lector again?" – Rogue raised a eyebrow, Sting pouted._

_"I didn't lose it, it went outside without my permission." – Sting groaned, Rogue rolled his eyes at his friend's stupidity. _It's a cat, it didn't need your permission to go out.

_He clicked his tongue and sighed. - "Fine, let's go find it." – With that, they started to search for Lector. Two young boys checked every place they could think of and asked everyone they thought that could have seen the cat, but it was nowhere to be found. _

_"Have you found it?" – Sting asked while opened another trashcan. Rogue shook his head, but remembered that his friend couldn't see him. He stood up behind a bush._

_"Nope." – He sighed, hands were on either his hip. He looked at the his friend again._

_"If you were Lector, where would you go?" – He asked. Sting turned to face his friend and put a finger on his chin to think._

_"Somewhere that has food?" – He shrugged. Rogue knitted his eyebrow in concentration._

_*tink*_

_His face lit up and he punched his palm. _

_"The backyard!" – He exclaimed, then dragged Sting, who was still confused at his friend outburst, to where he was heading. _

_There was a large fish tank that was placed in the middle of the vegetable garden at the backyard. It was for decoration and relax purpose when children were tired of planting. Lector was probably there. They turned around a corner, the white fence became bigger and bigger with every step they took._

_No sooner did they arrive to the garden, they heard some grunts from a cat. Two cats, actually. They halted when they saw Lector and a blue cat were facing and growling at each other. Lector seemed like it was having the upper hand. Besides them, there was another 'creature', a clown fish which was struggling convulsively on the ground. Yeah, you could guess what happened._

_"What the heck?" – Sting asked loudly when two cats suddenly dashed at each other, scratching the 'enemy's' fluffy face._

_"Happy!" – A shout was heard and the duo turned to look at the source of the noise. _

Natsu-san? _Rogue thought. It was Natsu Dragneel - captain of class 1-2 soccer team._

_Rogue never admitted this to anyone, even Sting, but he secretly admired Natsu very much. Natsu was naturally good at sports. Rogue, however, hated them. He was never good at them, therefore, he found sports a real waste of energy. That's why, when he saw Natsu playing so confidently and full of determination, he couldn't help but feel a great amount of respect for him. _

_Since then, he started to practice playing soccer. Although he still hated sports and was nowhere as good as him, he began to think that maybe playing something wasn't so bad. He wished that he could surpass the boy someday, but he knew it would be so, so, so hard. _

_"Happy? Who names a cat Happy?" – Sting quirked his eyebrow as Natsu came to scope the blue cat in his arms. Sting, on the other hand, considered Natsu as a goal that he needed to defeat. Since Natsu became the captain of class 1-2, his team was the only one that could overcome Sting's team from class 1-5._

_"I named it Happy, you got a problem with that?" – Natsu glared at him. The red cat hopped to his arms before purred in delight when Sting pet its head. The blonde smirked. Rogue moved to pick up the fish, then allowed it to go back to its home, which was the fish tank._

_"Happy!" – Natsu gasped when he saw scratches were all over Happy's face, the small cat mewled in pain. - "What did you do to Happy?" – He asked Sting angrily. _

_"I didn't do anything, Lector did." – Sting said innocently._

_"Why did your cat scratch Happy?"_

_"Huh?" – Sting cocked his head aside._

_"Why did your cat scratch mine?" – Natsu lowed his voice in attempt to make it sound more dangerous, but ended up having to clear his throat to ask again, because Sting seemed like he couldn't hear him._

_"How would I know?" – Sting glared at the boy. – "Maybe your cat disturbed him while he was eating." – He sent Natsu a pointed look._

_"Happy never disturb anyone. Your cat did." – He said in an accusing tone._

_"Pardon me? Lector is the most polite cat I've ever met in my entire life…" – He said proudly, not noticing that Rogue was snickering behind his back. – "… Therefore, it must be your cat that disturbed mine."_

_"No, it didn't." – Natsu retorted back._

_"Yes, it did." – Sting exclaimed._

_"Your cat is a bully." – Natsu accused, pointing a finger at Lector._

_"Well, your cat is weak and a rude one." – Sting shrugged._

_"It is not weak and not rude, your cat is!" – Natsu yelled. Both of them started to approach each other, throwing insults at the other's cat, which was returning 'disturb', 'rude', 'polite', 'weak', and some other things completely off-topic. Rogue took off his sandals and sat on them in Indian style, putting his chin on his palm, watching the scene played out in front of him with a wide grin._

_"You could never be a teacher, because you can't even teach your cat not to disturb the other cat's meal!" – Natsu yelled at Sting._

_"Excuse you, but I want to be an astronaut, not a teacher! Lector is smart so it could learn it by itself. You are a bad owner, like owner, like cat! – Sting shouted back. He took a step forward to face his 'goal' nearer, but suddenly slipped. _

_In Rogue's eyes, it was like a slow motion scene in an action movie. Natsu and Sting's eyes widened (as well as Rogue's). Sting swung his arms in the air, throwing Lector in the process, his body was slowly leaning toward Natsu. Natsu, thinking that Sting was trying to hit him, took a step back to take his fighting attitude. Happy jumped off his arms. Unfortunately, it was too late. Sting successfully 'attacked' him, he (unintentionally) pinned Natsu to the ground. They both fell with a loud thud. Natsu quickly aimed a punch at Sting's face, almost breaking the boy's nose. Sting, thinking that Pinky (Natsu's nickname since primary school) was using his unbalance to start a fight, fought back. Two boys started wrestling and punching small fists at each other. _

_The motion back to its normal speed, Rogue quickly stood up to stop them._

_"Okay, stop… Sting… let go of him. Natsu… stop!" – He yelled but either of them heard him…_

**_[End of flashback]_**

* * *

><p>"Okay… But, what was next?" – Lucy asked when Sting finished his story.<p>

"The principal had to call their parents to his office… You know what happened after that. Since then, they became more hostile to each other. Natsu moved to Edolas when he was eleven. Four years later, we met again at Fiore Academy in our first year." – Rogue finished other details. Lucy nodded in acknowledgement.

"Well, that's not my fault. That fight proved that he had violent sign when he was young…" – Sting paused. – "... You should stay away from him." – He added, putting on his innocent face.

Rogue smirked knowingly while Lucy made a face.

"Rogue said it was just an accident, it didn't count as 'violent sign'." – She made air quote with her right hand.

"Y… Yeah, right…But he didn't think that was an accident in first place, he jumped in conclusion and punched me first, so it counted." – He replied stubbornly.

"I don't know, it sounds pretty…stupid…" – She trailed off but quickly changed the topic. – "But… You know it was a misunderstanding, why didn't you two make up and be friend with each other?" – Sting, who was looking at her, narrowed his eyes and diverted his look to Rogue.

"Well, our dear friend, Rogue, hadn't told me that it was an accident until after Natsu-san came to America. He said it was fun to see us still fight because of some stupid misunderstanding in the past." – He said accusingly.

"That was my only source of entertainment beside hanging out with Lucy." – Rogue said with a poker-face. Lucy didn't know why, but she suddenly felt shy at his statement.

Sting rolled his eyes at friend's evilness, but didn't retort back.

A comfortable silence settled in the room, yet, it disappeared when the door to her sickroom opened. Lucy turned to look at the men and smiled widely at her father.

"Dad!" – Jude was stunned for a moment before he pulled himself together again. No matter how many time Lucy called him 'dad' since she woke up, he still couldn't get used to it. She always called him 'father' before, sounding more formal. Jude smiled tenderly at her.

"Good evening, Lucy." – He turned to the standing duo and nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'll take care of you for a few days, your mother needs some rest." – He said.

…

Silence once again embraced the atmosphere, this time, it was very uncomfortable. Rogue and Sting weren't very close with Jude. There were always some kind of silent tension among them. Sting never knew why and neither did Rogue. Jude, however, didn't care.

_Awkward. _Rogue thought and decided to leave.

"Maybe we should go, good night Luce." – Rogue waved at her then bowed at Jude. Sting did the same, he also wanted to kiss her goodbye, but finally decided against it. That perhaps wasn't a very good ideal with her father's presence.

Jude waited for them to leave, then sat down on the chair that was occupied by Rogue a while ago.

"How do you feel, Lucy?" – He asked. Although he was pretty busy, he still tried to find some time to visit his daughter.

"I'm fine, dad." – Lucy smiled. It was a rare sight to see his daughter smile at him. He wondered why he didn't notice his daughter's beautiful smile before. Lucy was closer to her mother than father, because Jude was always busy with work. Although Layla usually scolded him for spending more time at work than with his daughter, he still couldn't rearrange his schedule to play with her. Of course, 'this Lucy' didn't know that. Jude sighed quietly.

_Maybe some other time. _

He came here with the intention to tell her about Loke, but maybe that could wait. Loke came to visit her when she was still in coma, yet, he was busy in Brazil after that, so Lucy still hadn't met him. Even thought she lost her memories, he knew she would act exactly the same way that she used to when he first told her that she had a fiancé.

"How was your work today?" – She asked in attempt to start a conversation.

Jude smiled a small smile at her and told her about his day. He felt bad when he thought about this, but… Somewhere deep down inside, there was a little piece of him that was thankful for her lost memories.

* * *

><p><strong>[A week later, 5 days before the sport congress.]<strong>

Lucy got off her father's Roll-Royce and stood in front of the biggest mansion she thought that she'd ever seen. She took a deep breath. It was refreshing to be able to smell something different from scent of the hospital. Cool wind, the smell of the grass and wild flowers helped her mind relax. Layla adjusted Lucy's trench coat to keep her warm, Sting and Rogue followed closely behind. Lucy had been released from the hospital today, the duo came to help her and Layla moving Lucy's important things from the hospital and the dorm back to her room at home. Her mother insisted that she stayed at the mansion so that Lucy could be taken care of better.

Two young boys came to open the gate and they beamed at her. It was Gemi and Mini, the twin gardeners of Heartfilia's mansion. Lucy waved back in courtesy, although she didn't know who they were. She looked at the big house in awe, it was splendid. Lucy couldn't believe that she lived in a place like that.

"It's funny to see her like this, because she used to dislike this place, saying that it was bored and stuff." – Sting whispered to Rogue and the guys chuckled. Lucy caught that, but she didn't say anything.

"Layla-sama, Lucy-sama, welcome home." – Caprico and Virgo bowed and nodded at Rogue and Sting.

"Thank you, Caprico, Virgo." – Layla smiled, then turned to look at her daughter. – "He'll lead you to your room. I'll make you something to eat. Rogue, can you give me a hand, my dear?" – Layla kissed Lucy's forehead and smiled at Rogue. She had something to talk to him.

"Of course, Layla-san." – Rogue and Layla left, leaving Caprico, Virgo, Lucy, and Sting standing in the middle of the hall.

"Right this way, Lucy-sama." – Caprico gestured them to follow him.

Every servant that they passed by bowed and smiled to Lucy in a welcome back manner. They were all worried when they heard that she was in the hospital. Lucy nodded at every single one of them, sometimes she forced a smile that was clearly fake.

Sting noticed her actions and he was slightly worried. He didn't know how long it would take for her to recover, but he was afraid that if she didn't regain her memories soon, she would never be the same Lucy that they knew. Lucy was slowly turned to someone else, she rarely smiled genuinely and he still didn't hear her laugh _once _since she had woken up. Her mind was usually like it was wandering somewhere else, looking for something. When he asked if there was something wrong, she would simply nod and say that she's fine when she was clearly not.

_Perhaps I should act like I normally do, doctor said that maybe it would help her recall something that she forgets._

Caprico opened the door quietly and Virgo pulled her baggage inside. Lucy stepped in and jumped.

"Something's wrong, Luce?" – Sting put a hand on her shoulder, eyes full of worry.

She stared at her room for exact 30 seconds before she nodded.

"Y.. yeah… there's just… so much… pink." – Her lips parted slightly at she looked around. Baby pink wall, classic rose curtains, deep carmine pink mica desk, lavender rose carpet, magenta windows frame, orchid pink bed...

Sting chuckled. - "I was horrified when I entered your room for the first time I came to your house. I couldn't believe there was a girl that was obsessive with pink like you."

She smiled, but her back was facing Sting, so he couldn't see it. Lucy unbuttoned her trench coat and attempted to use one hand to take it off, but Sting quickly stopped her. He didn't want her injuries to open.

"Let me." – He said quietly and tenderly helped her remove the item. He lifted her left arm gently, careful not to move her shoulder too much. Sting did it with sheer concentration.

_So close. _

Lucy stared at his face, she could feel his breath gently fanned her cheeks. His fingers brushed against her neck, leaving some hot trails on her skin. The heat from his body spread through her and she felt her heart rate slightly pick up. He took the coat completely off and looked at her when he felt her eyes on his face. Lucy quickly looked at the ground and coughed to cover her embarrassment when he caught her staring.

"Something on my face?" – Sting asked innocently. He, of course, was used to their proximity, but he forgot that Lucy wasn't. She shook her head frantically, blushing slightly. Sting furrowed his brows at her odd reaction before he shrugged. He hung the coat on the wall and Lucy came to sit on her bed.

"Hime, is there anything else I can do for you? I've finished unpacking your things." – Virgo bowed. _Hime? She always call me that?. _Trying to put that thought aside, Lucy waved in dismiss.

"No, thank you… eh…"

"Virgo, Hime."

"Ah… Thank you Virgo. You could go." – She said. Virgo bowed again and left.

Lucy's eyes landed on the pile of pictures on her dressing table. She picked some up and checked each one of them, leaning against the table. Those were from her dorm. Apparently, Layla thought that those photos could help her daughter remember something. Most of them were of Lucy, Sting, and Rogue. Lucy touched her face on the photo. It was like seeing another one but not her. Lucy in the picture was so lively, Lucy in this real life at the moment was a little dull.

"Beautiful, right?" – Sting said beside her, making her jump. She had forgotten that he was still in this room for a minute. He chuckled and put an arm behind her, hand rested at the other side of her hip. He leaned in closer to look at a photo that showed him a smiling face of Lucy.

She blushed at both: the close distance and his compliment. Lucy made an inclination of the body to the right to create some space. Fortunately, that went unnoticed by Sting, who was still looking at the picture in her hand. Lucy turned to another picture and her eyes widened. In that photo, she was sandwiched between Sting and Rogue and they were kissing both of her cheeks. All three of them were wearing red graduation suits, Lucy assumed that they were at their secondary high school graduation. Sting snickered when he spotted her pink cheeks just by looking at herself being kissed.

"Ah… Another pretty photo, you look cute." – He beamed. Her face darkened in color again.

_Is it just me or this room's starting to heat up?_.

She shook her head to clear her mind, Sting looked at her quizzically. She began to feel really uncomfortable, being near her friend like this. His presence was clouding her mind and she couldn't think of anything except the warmth of his body.

_Why? _

Lucy didn't know why she was feeling this way, she couldn't control anything in her mind and heart.

_Was the 'previous Lucy' feeling this way, too? If she did… then… it means she had… some kind of… feelings for him? _Lucy thought, oblivious to the look that Sting was giving her. _If that was the case, then it would explain why I feel this way. But… Considering his behavior, he probably didn't know about my feelings, he introduced himself as my 'friend', right?_

Lucy locked eyes with Sting, brows narrowing slightly in a calculating look. Sting blinked at her weirdness and tried to fight back his blush when she stared at him with such intensity like that. _But again, if I didn't feel that way about him before, does that mean… I'm abnormal? _Lucy thought, then scrunched her face in worry. She still looked into his eyes, but her thoughts were focused on something else.

"Eeh…Lucy?" – Sting hesitated.

_If it was the first case, should I tell him?_

"Lucy? Do you hear me?" – He asked again, louder.

_But if it was the second case, should I stay away from him so it would go away?_

"Lucy?" – Sting frowned. _What is she thinking?_

_I didn't feel like this when I was in the hospital… Maybe because I wasn't being near him like this before._

"LUCY!" – Sting practically shouted in her face and Lucy jolted from her thought. She squeaked and stepped back, almost falling from sudden outburst of Sting, if not because of his instant reaction. He quickly caught her before she hit the ground, an arm putting under her shoulder while the other embraced her waist. His face was nearly an inch from hers.

"Eeeek!" – Her eyes widened before she squealed and shoved him off, wincing at the pain that shot to her shoulder and hand.

"Idiot, be careful!" – He scolded her and took a step forward to check her injuries, but she held up a hand to stop him, panting slightly.

"I-I-I-I am fine, just s-st-stand there." – She put her right hand on her heart to calm its rate.

"Lucy, really, you're making me worry. Are you okay?" – He tried to take step forward again, but she took a step back, creating more distance between them.

"Really, I'm fine. Could… you… give me… a private moment?" – She gulped.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." – Sting demanded and approached her, Lucy continued to recede. She finally decided to take all her courage and strength to push him out of her room.

"Just get out. I need to think. I'm fine, don't worry." – She insisted.

"Luce, something's wrong, I can tell. Tell me Lu-" – He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence when her room's door slammed on his face. Lucy leaned against the door while Sting's presence was still on the other side. Her breath started to slow down.

"Lucy! Lucy, open the door." – Sting coaxed and pounded at her door. Lucy groaned at his persistence.

"Just go away, Sting. I'll be fine." – Lucy said loudly.

"No, you're not fine. Lucy, c'mon baby, don't be like that. Lucy? Luc-" – Sting suddenly stopped as Lucy's eyes widened to comic proportions when they realized what he just said.

_Did I/he just call her/me 'baby'? – _They both thought and blushed furiously.

"Ne-never mind, I-I'll leave you for a moment." – He stammered and quickly ran clean off. Lucy breathed out a relived sigh when she heard his footsteps slowly disappeared.

_Too much for one day._

**End of chapter 13  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Phew~ Finally! Well, I'm almost late for school so... enjoy. Until next time! <strong>

**Bái bai (it means bye) XD**


	14. Chapter 14 - Forget me not

**Hey guys! Great to see you again XD I've been busy lately as well as my beta. Anyway, thank you Iza :3 You have my gratitude.**

**First and formost, thank you for reading, following, making this your favorite XD Special thanks to those who reviewed: Annechase, zin-chan-luvs-u, ZaxForever, Guest, TelloPello, nicole143mb, AnimexXxLuvver. **

**You guys make me so happy! **

**TelloPello:** Aw, I'm glad it didn't creep you out :)) It was just a random thought when I was writing. I'm happy that you enjoyed it.

**Annechase: **Well, you just have to wait and find out XD

**Enjoy!**

**Dislaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 14 - Forget me not.**

"So… How is your father, Rogue?" – Layla asked. She sliced a red tilapia fish, then added some spice while Rogue was washing vegetables. The Hearfilia, of course, had a private chef, but Layla enjoyed cooking for her family. So only when they had a party or something that the chef was called.

"He's… fine, Layla-san. He said he was very sorry for what happened with Lucy." – Said Rogue.

"Well, he should be. My daughter risked her life for his fiancée whom he only dated two or three months." – Layla nodded. After the day Lucy was hospitalized, Jude had warned Weisslogia not to come near his daughter, no matter what he would say or do.

"But… I know that we can't blame him for what happened. He only wanted the best for Sting and you, right?" – She smiled tenderly at Rogue. He nodded wordlessly. His father asked him and Sting how was Lucy every time they came home from the hospital. Weisslogia felt really relived when he heard that she had awakened, yet, his guilt multiplied ten times when he found out that she had lost her memories.

"Tell him that I'm inviting him to dinner next weekend." – Layla smiled. Maybe it was time for them to let go of the past, she thought.

"I… don't think that's a good idea, Layla-san." – Rogue hesitated.

"Oh, you're worried about Jude? Don't be, he'll get over it. It was just his usual outburst." – Layla shook her head. Rogue nodded again. He waited for her to say something else, but didn't get any further response.

"Layla-san, I'm sure that it's not the only reason you said you wanted to talk to me, right?" – Rogue said. Layla's expression darkened. Rogue wondered if he had said something wrong.

"Rogue, there's something I need to tell you." – Layla put the red tilapia fish in the water boiling pot. She turned to look at Rogue with a serious face. This made Rogue kinda nervous.

"Lucy got a fiancé." – She said.

Rogue stared at her blankly.

Three.

Two.

One.

"WHAT?" – Rogue shouted in her face when the words sunk in his brain, his eyes widened in shock. Layla frowned slightly. She had to restrain herself from scolding the boy for being too loud. Rogue pulled himself together, then apologized.

"Wha…what? No, it-it-it can't be. You're kidding, right, Layla-san? Please tell me you're kidding." – Rogue pleaded. Lucy had a fiancé? At seventeen? A fiancé that was... Someone else? Not…?

Layla sighed. – "Rogue, calm down. I wish I were kidding, but I'm not. Just listen to me." – She shifted the vegetables from the basket to the pot when the fish was well done.

"I accidentally passed by my husband's study when he was talking on the phone with Celes. That's how I found out, because clearly my _dear _husband didn't say a word to me about this. I know that he knows I'm going to oppose his decision once he tells me. Although I don't know how long he's gonna keep this secret." – Rogue felt like there was a lead weight lying in his stomach, but still listened carefully.

"Apparently, her fiancé is Loke. You know him, right?" – Rogue nodded. _The womanizer, who doesn't? _He inwardly rolled his eyes. The mere thought of Lucy marrying someone like him made Rogue sick. She deserved so much better than that.

"Celes is Jude's friend, Rogue. He helped my husband a lot when Jude first started his career. Jude owns him and I know it's hard for him to say no. But… This is Lucy's future and I don't care how much debt he owns Celes, I'm not going to put Lucy's fate into someone's hand that she doesn't even know, let alone loves." – Layla said firmly. Rogue let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. At least, Layla was on their side.

"So… You want us to… Do something about this?" – Rogue asked.

"Exactly, he's already said yes and I know he won't listen to me. The only alternative that we have now…is making Loke change his mind about marrying Lucy." – She shrugged, adding some spice into the pot, then turned it off.

"But…how?" – Rogue asked. He stared at the ceiling to think for a minute, then a smirk stretched on his lips. Layla lifted a brow at his face. He beamed at her and was about to 'announce' his resolution when she raised a hand to cut him short.

"Nothing involves violence, Rogue." – She folded her arms. The smile left his face and Rogue grumbled. _Damn it. _

Layla cackled at his sulking face.

"Just think, Rogue. For Sting and your future." – She said softly.

"What do you mean, Layla-san?" – Rogue looked at her quizzically. She smiled a knowing smile.

"Uh huh, nice try, but better luck next time, kid. I know what you and Sting've been thinking about my daughter for a loooong time." – She winked and Rogue almost choked on his saliva.

"I don't know what you're talking about." – He murmured and she smiled widely. Layla shook her head. The boy still tried to deny it, even when she already knew about their feelings.

"Well, just let you know that I totally support all three of you being together. My precious daughter and her two best friends, who will do anything for her. How romantic." – She sighed dreamily. Rogue sweatdropped. The corner of his lips turned up, but, suddenly, a thought struck him. He asked her cautiously.

"Eh, Layla-san…You don't think that it's improper for both of us to be in together with Lucy? I mean, people always say that love is something only between two individuals." – He remembered what Yukino said to him in Tenrou Island.

It was not like he cared about what people think about their relationship, but this was Lucy's mother. He wanted to know her opinion.

Layla smiled softly. She picked some herbs to make tea, then titled her head to glance at Rogue.

"To be honest, when I found out about you and Sting's feelings for her, I wondered what would gonna happen to your friendship in the future. When Lucy… let just say that she had to choose between you and him. But then, I looked at you two and my daughter, and I asked myself: What if she couldn't choose?… You three are inseparable. And why can't three people be together anyway? Love has no boundaries. Maybe, it sounds crazy to most people, but when you're in love, everything make sense. Don't care about what society thinks, Rogue. It restrains you from doing what you want or being who you are. You and Sting both want to be with her and she wants to be with you two? Then be it. Follow your heart and you won't regret a thing." – Said Layla.

Her smile never faltered. She unfolded her arms to caress his face and he leaned in her touch. It felt oh-so-great when he could talk to her like this, like a son talking to his mother. He had forgotten this feeling a long time ago and it was good to know that there was always _someone _who still cared enough for him to remind him of such a sensation. He smiled a small smile and nodded at her.

"But, Layla-san… Why don't you tell Sting about this, too? – He asked, cocking his head aside like a little boy.

"Oh you know how he is…" – She waved her hand. – "... He's gonna lose his head when he hears that. So I want you to know first, then tell him later when the time is right."

"What's right, Layla-san?" – Sting's voice resounded. Layla was startled, but she hid it well, she smiled at him. Rouge looked at Sting over his shoulder.

"Nothing, I'm talking about the rice." – She lied - a white lie. Sting nodded, his mouth made an 'o' shape. The blonde helped Rogue and Layla lay the table.

"Where is Lucy?" – Rogue asked when there was no sign of his favorite girl.

"She's…upstairs." – Sting said casually. Rogue scowled at him.

"She's wounded and you left her upstairs? What if something happens to her, you dork?" – Rogue smacked the back of his head, making Sting glare at him.

"She kicked me out. What do you want me to do?" – He kicked Rogue's shin, Rogue almost yelp in pain, but restrained himself. He scrunched his face.

"Well, bang her door and demand her to let you in because she-is-wounded." – Rogue emphasized his words then pinched Sting's ears. Sting slapped his hand away.

"If you do that, she'll probably kick you out, too." – Sting glowered at his friend.

"She never kicked you out before. What did you do? Did you harass her? Did you manhandle her? Did you do improper things to her? You forced her to do something she didn't want to? Oh my God, you're such a pervert." – Rogue petrol-bomb his friends with his questions and a straight face. He knew that even if Sting had to die, he would never do something like that to Lucy. Yet, he couldn't help but make Sting look bad in front of Layla.

"WHAT? Layla-san, please don't look at me like that, he's kidding. AND SHUT UP, ROGUE! I didn't do any of that. She just acted strangely!" – Sting cried out after defending himself to Layla, who was trying not to laugh at his face.

"Okay, stop it, Rogue. That's a terrible idea." – Said a voice from behind. Apparently, Lucy had followed Sting downstairs. _Although one is true. He harassed my heart. How pathetic it sounds. _She thought. –"And Sting, you're the one acted strangely, not me." – Lucy frowned at her childish friends and took a seat next to her mother in the dining room.

"Oh? Says the one who just couldn't stop blushing and panicking whenever I came near her." – Sting grumbled under his breath, Lucy shot him a glare across the table. Rogue sat next to Sting, chuckling, while Layla watched the exchange with a knowing smile.

"Well, you called me 'baby' so you're the one who acted strangely." – Lucy mumbled, fixing her eyes on her hands and passing the small bowl of rice to her mother. Layla coughed to cover her soft laugh while Sting blushed slightly. Rogue arched his brow at his friend, giving Sting a look that said briefly "Oh?"

"There is nothing strange about that, I call you ba-…like that all the time." – Sting murmured, trying to gloss over his embarrassment by using her currently condition. Rogue grinned, his body shook from silent laugh. He didn't know why they were still trying to speak quietly when Rogue and Layla could hear them clearly no matter how low their voices were.

"You never called me like that before." – Lucy said casually.

"Yes, I did." - Sting retorted.

"No, you didn't." - Lucy frowned. Sting and Rogue stared at her.

"How do you know?" – Sting inquired. As he remembered, this Lucy didn't know that he never called like that before.

"I don't know, I just...know that you never called me like that." – She replied.

"Huhm… Seem like the medicine is working." – Layla said optimistically, Lucy just shrugged.

"But Lucy, are you sure that you can go to school tomorrow? I think you should rest some more." – Layla looked back at her daughter and stroked her hair. Lucy forced a small smile.

"I'm fine, mom. This is my senior year and I'm the first-rank student, right? I should get back to school as soon as possible to catch up with my friends."

"Okay. But be careful with you injuries." – Layla said and she nodded.

"Yeah, if you need anything, you have me and Rogue." – Another nod.

"Maybe you should go to school by car." – Layla offered.

"Tell your teacher when you have a headache." - Sting said. Lucy sighed but nodded again anyway.

"Call me to pick you up when you're not feeling well, okay?"

"And you should have someone take you to upstairs and downstairs too. It could be bad if you stumble or something." – He continued. Rogue kicked his legs slightly when he saw Lucy scowled hard.

"Jesus, I'm not a crippled, Sting. I don't want to go to school by car and I don't need someone to take me to upstairs or downstairs, I can take care of myself. I want to move back to the dorm." – She said, leaning back against the chair and folding her arms.

Honestly, Lucy started to get annoyed at their protectiveness. 'Lucy, don't do this', 'Lucy, don't do that', 'Lucy, be careful with your steps', 'Lucy, let me take it', 'Lucy, why don't you tell me? I'll take it for you', blah blah blah… They didn't even let her do the simplest thing like taking off her coat... This was getting too much for her to take, they treated her like a porcelain doll that could be broken anytime. She was not someone who was reckless, they didn't have to overdo things like that.

"Absolutely not. You're gonna stay here. It's not safe for you to stay alone with your wounds like that." – Layla said firmly.

"I'm not a kid anymore, I'll be careful. Please, mommy." – Lucy pleaded.

"Lucy, we're just trying to help you. With this state, you need someone to stay by your side." – Rogue said calmly, hoping that Lucy would understand.

"Like I said, I can take care of myself, Rogue!" – Lucy glared at him.

"Well, look at you now, Lucy. If you could take care of yourself then you wouldn't have been like this." – Layla scolded her. She knew that it wasn't true, she just hoped that it would affect her daughter somehow and she would let them look after her. Lucy was stunned before she narrowed her gaze.

"Wasn't that their father's fault that I'm like this?" – Lucy said coldly. Layla widened her eyes while Sting and Rogue looked shocked.

* * *

><p><em>"What are you doing here?" – Lucy's eyes were half-closed from sleepiness when she heard her father's voice. She closed her eyes, but tried to keep her mind awake. <em>

_"Please, Jude. Can I just visit her for a minute?" – Another man's voice resounded. His voice seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to. _

_"You brought that woman home so she could hurt my daughter like this, and you dare to ask me to let you in? You're lucky that I haven't shooed your sons away from her when they failed to protect her like they always promised me." – Lucy listened carefully, not missing a beat. _

_"Jude, don't drag my sons into this, they've done nothing wrong. It's my fault, I know. But please let me see her for a minute to see if she's okay." – The man pleaded. Lucy felt bad for him, there was something in his voice that just broke. _

What happened?

_She asked herself. She wanted to open her eyes, to tell him something, but she was afraid that when she turned to look at him and couldn't remember who he was, she wouldn't know what to say. _

_"She's fine as long as she doesn't have to look at your face. Just leave, __Weisslogia__." – Jude said firmly._

Weisslogia? _There was something just__ came across her mind when his name was called. She heard the man sighed in defeat. __A moment of__ silence let Lucy wonder if he had gone or not._

_"I hope she's fine. And I'm really, really sorry for what happened." – Weisslogia said quietly then left. Her father closed the door quietly, then got back to her side, stroking her hair. Lucy let darkness invaded her mind with her father's gently touch, she dreamed about their conversation when she slept. _

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><p>Lucy didn't care what she was saying anymore. Her mother knew what happened and she still blamed her for it, like it was her own fault. She didn't ask for this, she didn't want this, she hated her brain so much because it was empty all the time. Every time she tried to think of something, to remember anything, all she got was a headache. She tried to find who she was, but all she heard from her friends was someone else whom she didn't know.<p>

'Lucy smiled a lot', 'Lucy was really smart', 'Lucy was friendly', 'Lucy loved pink', 'Lucy was sometimes crazy.'… They talked about her using third person and past tense, making her feel like she wasn't Lucy. She was just someone who took the place of Lucy, someone who looked like _her_. Lucy knew it was all unintentional, but…deep down inside, she also knew it was true. This Lucy didn't smile a lot, she wasn't smart with her empty brain like this, she was fake and she hated pink. She even once wished that she would never get her memories back, so they had to deal with this Lucy for the rest of their lives.

"Lucy, you know that's not true. It's not anyone's fault." – Layla frowned.

"You just said that it was my fault." – She gritted her teeth.

"She didn't mean it, Lucy, and you know it." – Sting touched her left upper palm, but she yanked her hand back a little too violently.

"Lucy!" – Layla immediately rushed at her, Sting and Rogue stood up abruptly when they saw her face scrunched in pain.

"I'm fine." – She said lowly, clutching her shoulder. The girl stood up quickly and left.

"Lucy!" - Layla moved to follow her, but Sting held her arm to dam her from doing so.

"Virgo, follow her." – She ordered Virgo. The girl bowed, then rushed along to catch up with her lady.

"She's mad, she won't listen." - Rogue said. Layla sighed and cursed her tongue silently.

* * *

><p><strong>[The next morning]<strong>

"Something must have happened." – Gray said.

"Have those _two idiots _done something to her again?" – Erza scowled. The image of Lucy crying while running away from laughing Sting and Rogue popped in her head. She shooed it away before her blood boiled.

"We should do something to cheer her up." – Natsu mumbled.

They were gathered at Erza's desk, which was just an arm length from Lucy's, staring at her. It was her first day at school after being absent for a quite long time. Her classmates missed her so much, they had saluted her on her comeback imposingly. But unfortunately, Lucy was not in the mood. She was startled and rather uncomfortable. Yet, she hid it well and laughed nervously at her friends. Lucy didn't remember any of them, just scratching her head and answered swiftly when they asked about her health. Her best friends recognized what was behind her smile, of course. They questioned her, but she just dismissed them by a wave, saying that she was fine and she needed some time alone.

"Stop talking behind my back, I can hear you guys clearly." – Lucy said when they didn't stop muttering, her eyes and brain were working with some problem involved derivative.

"Eh, Lucy? Are you okay?" – Gray asked again. Lucy sighed.

"I said I'm fine, Gray." – She mumbled, writing down something on her notebook.

"You don't look-" – Gray shut his mouth when she gave him a glare that could match Erza's when someone crushed the red-haired girl's strawberry shortcake. Gray gulped and Lucy got back to what she was doing.

"She's scary." – Natsu murmured and Gray nodded in agreement. Erza and Levy looked worriedly at her. They would never know what happened to her if she just kept being like that. Erza looked back to the idiots standing behind her.

"Me and Levy will find Sting and Rogue at lunch break to see what happened to her. You two keep her company." – She said under her breath, out of Lucy's hearing range and they all nodded in acknowledgement.

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><p><strong>[Lunch time]<strong>

Sting groaned the umpteenth time that days, staring at the sky full of white clouds.

"Shut up, Sting. Don't make me feel like the end of the world is tomorrow." – Rogue said annoyingly. Sting's groaning was getting on his nerves.

They didn't see Lucy this morning and looked like they were not gonna see her any time soon. Lucy had woken up very early. Wearing her uniform by her own, she skipped breakfast to avoid her mother and walked to school on foot, ignoring her maid's words. Virgo told them so when they came to pick her up. They really didn't know what should they do with Lucy's mood swinging like that.

"Rogue, Sting." – The door lead to the rooftop opened. They turned to look at the intruders. Sting gave them a curious look.

"Erza? What are you doing here?" – Rogue asked politely. He eyed the figure next to her, that was probably Levy. Lucy told him her name when he saw her talking to the blue-haired girl.

"What happened to Lucy?" – She said. Rogue quirked a brow. _Wow, straight to the point. _He sighed and told them about last night.

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile]<strong>

"Where is Erza? And Levy, too? – Lucy asked, sipping her tea. She was sitting in the canteen with Gray and Natsu. Lucy ordered some tea, because she didn't feel like eating. Natsu and Gray were still bickering over something, but they paid attention to her when she said.

"Eh… They have something to do with..." – Gray eyed Natsu with a screaming 'help' look.

"…the student council." – Natsu grinned and got back with his 'bussiness'. Noodles and tomato sauce scattered all over his face and around his bowl. _He's eating like a pig_. Lucy frowned in disgust then blinked when Natsu's pink hair turned golden. _Sting?_ She shook her head to clear her vision and his hair got back to normal.

"Yeah, the student council." – Gray nodded and she rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure? I don't think the student council's office located at Sabertooth's building." – She deadpanned. The boys halted then sighed. _Damn her observation. _They thought.

"Okay, fine. They went to find Sting and Rogue. We're worried about you, Lucy." – Natsu admitted. Lucy scowled. _Could they just leave me be for a minute?_ Lucy shook her head.

"I just need some time to find myself back, guys. I'm fine." – Her eyes softened and she let a small smile played at her lips. Small but genuine. Thinking again, maybe she had overreacted last night. They were her family and they cared about her. Her condition must have been hard for them just as it was for her. But still, she needed time.

Natsu and Gray smiled at her when they saw a part of her old self was back to normal. They nodded before Gray suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, are you gonna come and see our friendly match with Sabertooth this Friday before the sport congress starts?" – Gray asked her with his mouthful.

"Why not? I bet Sabertooth plays really well, you guys'd better be careful." – Lucy teased.

"Uh huh, just wait. We'll beat them again this year, just like the freshmen year." – Natsu said, full of determination.

"What happened last year?"

"Draw." – Gray replied.

Lucy was reflecting over supporting Sabertooth or Fairy Tail. Her childhood friends belonged to Sabertooth, but she – herself – came from Fairy Tail. Well, she guessed that she was gonna cheer them both.

* * *

><p>"So, Lucy is uncomfortable with how we are treating her?" – Levy mused.<p>

"But we always treat her like that. It's no big deal." – Erza frowned.

"I know, but Lucy's different now. She thought that we prefer 'the previous Lucy' than her when the truth is… She's still Lucy. And she's still our friend." – Rogue sighed.

"So, what should we do?"

"Perhaps we should behave around her like before, but be careful not to mention about her old self." – Levy suggested.

"Yeah, and help her regain her memories, too, she needs them." – Erza added.

"Okay, so be it." – Rogue nodded. _Thank God it was not something too serious. _Levy thought. With that she and Erza stood up to leave, but, suddenly, Erza turned around to stare at them.

"Do you need something else?" – Rogue asked. Sting didn't utter a word since the moment they met the girls, yet, he still listened to their discussion carefully.

Erza smirked. – "Good luck with the friendly match. Don't cry when our team beats your asses." – Levy giggled at her friend.

Sting and Rogue returned her expression, putting on their arrogant faces. – "Sabertooth doesn't cry. You Fairies should know better that playing with Tigers could be dangerous." – Sting remarked smugly.

"We'll see about that." – Erza said, still smirking.

As soon as they disappeared behind the door, the bell rang. Rogue inhaled, then exhaled a long breath before brushing some invisible dust off his pants. Sting approached the door first and Rogue followed closely behind.

* * *

><p><strong>[Three days later]<strong>

_"Lucy!"_

"Lucy?"

_"Lucy?"_

"Lucy!"

_"Lucy."_

"LUCY!" – The girl jumped when she heard her name called too loud.

"Gooosh, let me have some peace, Erza. My ears hurt from hearing my name repeated recently." – She rubbed her eyes tiredly, putting her head against the table. She was studying in group.

"You were spacing out again, Lucy. Concentrate on the poem." – Levy scolded her softly. Lucy groaned.

Understanding the poem was not a big problem to her. Her mind neglected the images of people and events, but not the knowledge that she had studied days and nights to insert them into her brain, thank God. Just a little reminder and she was good. The problem was: she was trying to find a way to get Sting off her shoulder.

"Why?" – Erza said when she told them.

"He just kept following me around like a puppy lately. He almost came after me to the female restroom, for your information." – Lucy grumbled.

Lucy didn't ask what Erza and Levy had talked to them about, because she didn't care. But after his conversation with them (she assumed), Sting behaved quite oddly, in her opinion. They didn't talk about that day, the day when Lucy and her mother had an argument. Lucy had communicated with her mother again, but there was still some tension between them. She knew it was mostly because of herself but she would deal with it later. About Sting… well, he just acted like nothing had happened, both him and Rogue. But she felt like she saw his face 24/7 and couldn't get some peace for a minute.

_"Hey, Lucy. Hungry? Let's go, I'll treat you some ice-cream." _

_Who eats ice cream in the middle of November? And when one was hungry nonetheless? _She had thought.

_"Lucy, what are you doing? Come see us practice." _

_"Lucy, tutor me. I can't understand this."_

_"Lucy come to my house, Lector wants to see you."_

_"Lucy, are you free tonight? We could hang out together." _

Even when she purposely hid from him, he still could find her and stay with her until she got to class or sometimes…to bed. That was rather annoying. No matter how many times she tried to shoo him away, he never, ever left her alone. Lucy really wanted to yell at him to go away but she thought about her over-reaction a few days ago, and decided against it.

But then again, sometimes, he wasn't really that annoying. Sometimes, when he found her hidden in some corners, crying endlessly because of her empty mind or her beautiful lost memories, because of everything and nothing at all, he would hold her with her forehead leaned against his chest, patting her head like of a child. Sometimes, when he felt like it, he would caress her face tenderly and tell her that he missed her.

_"You missed _me_ or you missed _her?" - She had asked him like that with her unbearable eyes.

And in reply, he would smile then breathed to her lips. - _"Both."_

Every touch on her skin, every scent of him on her hair, every jet of warmth inside her from his hug, they left her breathless, mind clouding and heart fluttering. But, she then would become aware of their proximity and tried to stay away from his reach. Every time she did that, she could feel his sad eyes glued to her figure without looking at his face.

"It was not something out-of-place, Lucy. You guys were close. You guys are still close. That's normal. Why pushing him away?" – Erza questioned.

"Because he likes someone else and it's just a stupid crush. I have to stay away from him so it will go away." – Lucy groaned. Erza and Levy stared at her, their eyes widened to the size of saucers.

_W.…wait a minute. _

Lucy suddenly lifted her head when a thought struck her.

"How do I know that he likes someone else?" – She asked herself. Lucy looked back at her friends who were still staring at her.

Levy grinned widely.

"Oh my God, that means your memories are coming back!" – Levy squealed then emerged from her seat to give Lucy a bear hug. Erza smiled. _Finally, some progress. _

"Ow, Levy, my shoulder." – Lucy cried and Levy let her go immediately.

"Sorry, are you okay, Lucy?" – Levy said worriedly.

"Nah, it's fine." – She said, reassured her friend.

It was good to have something back in her mind. She thought. But then, she remembered what she said.

"But…it also means I have feelings for him but he doesn't." – She muttered then pouted. _Arggg… that sucks. _She sighed. Levy and Erza shared a look before Erza changed the subject.

"Hey, what about Rogue? Did he bother you like Sting?"

Lucy shrugged. - "Not much, he kept certain distance although he still stayed close to me. He knew when I was uncomfortable. Strange, right? I felt like he could read my mind or something." – Lucy said in awe. Levy giggled and Erza let out a soft laugh. That sounded creepy, if you asked them.

Rogue and Sting were like light and shadow. Most of the time when Lucy saw Sting, Rogue would be by his side and vice versa. _Maybe they should drop the girls they have their eyes on and fall in love with each other. _

Lucy covered her mouth to refrain her from throwing up her snack. The reflection of Sting and Rogue expressed their affection to each other, then caressed and made out was too much for her. _Oh God, what am I thinking? Am I turning into a pervert like Sting? _Lucy's face twisted in horror before she shook her head violently to pushed those thought away. Levy and Erza eyed her weirdly.

"Ehh, Lucy? Are you okay?" – Erza asked slowly.

"Y…yeah, I'm fine. Never better, actually." – Lucy nodded. It didn't look convincing, but they decided to let it slip, not wanting Lucy to be pissed when they pressed further.

* * *

><p>"Great, Lucy. So this is your solution for 'staying away from him' problem. Come to find him. Just great." – Lucy grumbled.<p>

She headed to Sabertooth's basketball court after having watched Natsu and his team played... Lucy smiled. Natsu probably was the only guy that could make pink hair look so cool. Every time he scored, he would look back at her, grinning wildly, then made a peace sign. He reminded her of a kid in a big body. Her friends were excellent, there was no doubt that Fairy Tail would be the winner in the sport congress this year.

Anyway, Sting asked her to come on lunch break and she decided that she wanted to see them play, too. So she put aside her thoughts, gathering in her mind and come to their building.

She pushed the door lead to the stand and walked near the ground. It was absolutely quiet. _Strange. _Lucy came near the rail and looked down when she saw the reason of that silence.

In the middle of the basketball court, players of Sabertooth were gathering around their captain, looks of shocking spreading all over their faces. Rogue was rooted to the spot, eyes widening. And Sting…his back was facing her. Apparently, he was kissing a girl… a white-haired girl, Lucy stared at the scene before her eyes widened.

Time had stopped and the picture sunk in her mind. But before her brain succeeded in processing what the hell was going on, a bolt of pain shot through her body, straight to her heart instead of her shoulder or her hand. Sting gripped the girl's arms which were embracing around his neck and she pulled him down, pressing her mouth harder to him. Lucy looked away, sickening to the core. Her lips parted widely to inhale sharp, quick breaths, her eyes began to tingle with unshed tears, her fists clenched and she wanted nothing more than to strangle Sting to death for letting her see this. But before she did that, she would strangle that girl first. She bit her lips to prevent her mouth from screaming at them to stop. Inside her, there was a storm started to form.

"WHAT THE FUCK, YUKINO?" - Sting shouted and Lucy jumped from his angry voice. He shoved the girl away, her back hit Orga and the guy caught her before she fell.

"I-I-I told you, I just want to wish you luck before the match tomorrow." – Yukino stammered. Lucy arched a brow.

"According to his reaction, I wonder if it means being lucky, or is more of a bad omen." – Lucy spoke her thought loudly. It surprised her to hear her voice like this, so calm and collected, no sign of turmoil. The rest of them turned and raised their heads to look at her leaning against the rail of the stand, looking down on them with cold eyes and straight face.

"What a waste of time." – Lucy sighed.

"Lucy!" – Sting called her, but she already turned her back on him, quick steps resounded in the silent air. A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away angrily.

**End of chapter 14**

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><p><strong>Phew~ Done:D <strong>

**Thank you for reading! Hope it's not so bad because I think this chapter lack emotion or something, I don't know. So feel free to tell me what you think :D I tried my best not to add so much angst, just a little drama. **

**Anyway, I'm going to graduate and have a big important exam in the next few months before I go to college. Therefore, I might not update frequently like I was, sorry :( But I'm going to finish it, cross my heart. :D This is my baby and I'm not going to abandon it =))**

**See you guys later.**


	15. Chapter 15 - Risk

**Hi guys! Long time no see ^^~  
><strong>

**First of all, thank you all of you for reading my story :D Following and making it your favorite :D **

**Special thanks to my beta, Iza XD She's helped me so much!**

**My gratitude for: StiLu RoLu JeLu Love, sofsof2015, Otaku12367, Rizuki Dhan, zin-chan-luvs-u, Guest, Guest, TelloPello, Bloody Amethist, Slenderkatt, and Guest. XD Thank you for your reviews ^^~ They made me so happy.**

****Otaku12367: ****Well, that's kinda my intention :))****  
><strong>**

****TelloPello: ****Aww, thank you! Your review made me laugh, it's not weird at all, don't worry :))

**This chapter is for you guys! I hope you like it :D **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. **

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><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 15 - Risk **

Sting caught the ball from Rogue, overtaking Mamura before passing the ball to Rufus. The guys made a high jump and the ball slipped from Konoku's hands, falling into the basket.

"Well done, Rufus." – Sting said, panting. He didn't want to exhaust his team before the game tomorrow, but he couldn't help it.

He admitted that he was kinda worried. Although it was a friendly match, it was sure different from those during the previous years. This year, there was _someone _from his rival team watching them play. He didn't want his team to look like a bunch of loosers against Fairy Tail.

The sports congress of Fiore took place every year before Fuyu Matsuri – the Winter Festival. It was a playing field for 4 guilds to compete among one another in order to find the strongest guild of all. Of course, Sabertooth and Fairy Tail were the ones that got the upper-hand. Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus… Well, physical strength was not their strong point anyway.

"10-minutes break." – Rogue said, also panting. They all gathered in the middle of the court.

"Okay, Natsu is back, so this is gonna be tough. I'll mark him tomorrow while Rufus, you get your eyes on Gray. Rogue, Gajeel is yours. I don't want any mistakes, so you'd better play your best." – They listened carefully and nodded. It was obvious that both guilds didn't consider this match as a simple friendly one.

"Hey, guys. Taking a break?" – They turned around.

"Hey, Yukino. What are you doing here?" – Sting asked politely.

"I came to watch you guys play, and your manager asked me to bring you some snacks and mineral water, you guys need them." – She smiled and handed her friends the bags.

"Oh, thanks." – Sting said and took it. The boys began to share what their manager had brought them.

Yukino glanced at Rogue, but he didn't look at her. They didn't talk much after what had happened in Tenrou Island. Thanks to the trip, Yukino was a little closer to Sting and she knew that Rogue would be annoying if she mentioned Lucy again. Besides, she didn't have many things to talk to him.

Yukino didn't dare to ask Sting about his feelings after he had ignored her on Tenrou. Everything but that.

And then, Lucy's incident happened. Sting was so depressed while the girl was away. He was quiet all the time and easily bursted out when someone commented about her condition. Rogue was calm all the time, so she could hardly see any change in him, although she knew that he was suffering just as much as Sting. Yukino tried to comfort him sometimes, but to no avail.

It was strange to see them every day without a certain joyful girl. She didn't know whether she should be happy about that or not. Lucy was her… friend? No, maybe not, more like acquaintance. She admired that girl for her strong personality, her knowledge, and her intelligence, but to see Lucy as a friend when she was having the man of Yukino's heart wrapped around her finger was almost impossible for her. Anyway, she felt truly sorry for what happened to her. She was Sting's friend anyway, so she asked him to send a card to Lucy, hoping that she would be okay.

When Lucy woke up, she was kinda relieved, because a part of Sting's normal state had come back. She felt bad for thinking that way, but she felt… a little cheerful because of Lucy's amnesia. The blonde became colder and more sassy than before. Perhaps it was a sign from the universe that she finally had a chance with Sting. Maybe, by the time Lucy got back her memories, Sting would have been hers already. She drew up a plan to get closer to Sting like: watching him play more often, talk to him more often, sometimes she would even send him a love letter that remained anonymous, hoping that someday he would find out who it was. (She didn't know that all the letters she sent were in the garbage right after Sting saw it, along with tons of others from some random girls.)

She came to the basketball court again today and offered to help their manager in bringing them some snacks. It was a good chance for her to start a conversation with him.

"So… how is it? Any chance to win?" – She asked, smiling.

"Of course. Plus, Lucy's here this year. I hope she could bring us some luck." – He said with a smug expression. Yukino frowned slightly.

"You think she could bring you guys luck?" – She gave him an incredulous look.

"Yeah, her nickname is Lucky Lucy ever since she was a kid. Her father's career boomed when she was born, so he believed she brought him the luck." – He shrugged.

"Perhaps it was just a coincidence, it didn't mean she could bring luck. And even if she could, how did she do it? She gives you a lucky charm or something?"

Sting thought for a moment before replied. - "I don't know, maybe? A handshake or just simply her presence, her support… Something like that."

"Yeah, you ask her for a handshake and I'll ask her for a kiss. It'll be waaaaaay more effective~" – Rufus said in his sing-song voice. Sting turned to raise a brow at his friend.

"You touch her lips and I'll press yours together with super glue." – He deadpanned. Rufus only smirked.

"Well, if that's the case, I can bring you some luck, too." – Yukino said, smiling shyly yet boldly. Rogue heard the girl and he rolled his eyes, she was up to something again. He thought that he had knocked some sense into her head when they had been in Tenrou, but it seemed like she didn't let it wave her determination. Sting looked at her with pure confusion.

"What do you me-" – Before he could finish asking her what did she mean, Yukino quickly rose on her tip-toes and pressed her lips on his. His teammates' jaws dropped, Rogue's ball fell off his hands as he and his friends stiffened. Who would have thought a sheepish girl like her could make such a move.

Sting's eyes widened as he screamed 'GAAAHHHHH' in his head. He gripped her arms to push her away, but she wouldn't let go, her grasp around his neck tightened. Rage began to fill his body at the her stubbornness. He felt nothing but tastelessness of saliva. Yukino, however, felt like she was in heaven. _Oh my GOD! I can't believe I'm doing this. _He tasted so good and this was too good to be true. She just wanted this moment to last as long as possible so that she could pour her feelings to him as much as she could.

Unfortunately, that was not what Sting wanted. He scowled and shoved Yukino away violently, she would have fallen if Orga failed to catch her.

"WHAT THE FUCK, YUKINO?" – Sting shouted at the top of his lungs and Yukino flinched. Her happiness disappeared, she didn't expect him to be this angry. Had she done something wrong?

"I-I-I told you, I just want to wish you luck before the match tomorrow." – Yukino stammered.

"According to his reaction, I wonder if it means being lucky, or is more of a bad omen." – A voice resounded and the rest of them turned their head to look at the source of the voice. It was Lucy, leaning against the rail of the stand and looking down on them with cold eyes and a straight face.

"What a waste of time." – She sighed.

"Lucy!"_ - No, no, no, she shouldn't have seen it. _Sting thought and quickly ran after her, out of the basketball court. Yukino clenched her fists and her jaw was rigid. _She got all his attention the moment she appeared. _Why couldn't he just spend a minute to look at her and only her without Lucy in the picture? _What does she have and I don't? _Yukino thought angrily before she moved her legs to catch up with him, but strong arms prevented her from doing so.

"Leave them alone, you've done enough damage." - Rogue said calmly.

"Let go of me! I won't lose him without a fight." – Yukino replied. Rogue's eyes hardened.

"Lose him? Don't make me laugh, you never had him nor you will ever do. Didn't I say he would never choose you? I knew that you were stupid, but I didn't know you were _that _foolish _and _illusion- *smack* *smack*" – Rogue halted when he felt his cheek tingling.

Yukino had slapped him, twice, and she slapped him hard. Once on the left cheek with her right palm and the second time on the right cheek with the back of her hand. Rogue released her arm to touch his right cheek. His father never hit him in his life and this girl had the gut to slap him? She got some strength for such a small chick. His right cheek's bruise was a little more painful than the left one.

Her eyes opened widely as she realized what she had just done. Nobody dared to slap Rogue, no-one. She was about to apologize when she remembered the reason she slapped him. That was when her tantrum came back in a flash.

"I-am-not-stupid, I'm doing you a favor. Unlike you, I was just trying to be honest with my feelings. You can't get what you want unless you fight for it. I don't care if she's his best friend or anything. She's just a stupid bimbo who didn't do anything but keep making him following her around like a pathetic puppy, I won't let him-"

Rogue's hand left his right cheek to grip her neck, hard, but not hard enough to choke her. She winced in slight pain and at the sight of his face. Blood tainted his cheek a bit due to the press of his palm when he touched it, another red liquid drop rolled down from the scratch. The gem on her ring had cut his flesh quite deeply when she slapped him. His eyes were cold and there was no doubt that if he didn't go to jail, he would drain the oxygen out of her lungs with his grasp. His teammates rushed and shouted at him to let her go, but to no avail, his hold only tightened as she gripped and scratched his hand.

"Let me get this straight, _Yukino-san__. _Don't you dare make a statement about something if you don't know it well enough. Don't call her bimbo, she hates that. And most importantly, don't drag her IQ down to your level, you and her are on a totally different rank. You're lucky that I'll let your two slaps slip this time. Behave yourself and know your place." – Rogue gritted his teeth before shoving her away, the blood on his hand smeared her neck. The girl regained her balance and coughed violently, her eyes shed tears as she glared at him.

"You're cruel, you know that?" – Yukino almost shouted at his face. She wiped her tears and ran away. Rogue didn't spare her a glance when she passed by. He pulled out his favorite handkerchief to clean up his cheek and hand.

"What was that about?" – Orga asked in bewilderment on behalf of everyone else. What Rogue and Yukino were talking about was a little confusing, but they were sure that together they could figure out what that was all about.

"Are you okay?" – Mamura asked, referring to his small cut. Rogue nodded and surveyed the handkerchief. _Gotta wash it carefully. _He thought and folded it with attention to tuck it back in his pocket.

"I didn't know that you were _that_ _manly, _Rogue. Look! He even has a _pink handkerchief. _Where did you get that?" – Rufus teased to lighten the tense atmosphere, chuckling at the girly material. The other guys just laughed lightly, but they were pretty curious about why Rogue had stuff which look like that. According to their observations, Rogue was like a dark prince or something. Everything he owned was self-colored, and mostly in black like he was literally obsessed with it. The aura around him was usually kinda gloomy and boring. That _thing_ didn't suit him, not-one-bit.

Rogue just 'hump' and put it back where it had been. He didn't want to waste his breath to explain what was the meaning of that handkerchief to these idiots.

"None of your business." – He said monotonously. The laugh died down and Rufus looked at him seriously.

"That's harsh, Rogue. She's a girl after all." - He scolded him slightly. Rogue mentally rolled his eyes before knocked up all water in the bottle. He grabbed his bag and towel, heading to the dressing room.

"Not a single word about what happened to any person outside of this basketball court today, are we clear? If I hear any rumors or mumbling behind my back tomorrow, you'll all have to answer to me." – That was not a requirement, that was an order from the vice-captain, and no one had a problem with it.

* * *

><p>"Luce! Luce, wait!" – Sting called out for her, but she didn't stop. Lucy wiped that last drop of her tears from her eyes, quickening her steps.<p>

"Don't call me Luce." - She said loudly without looking back, she didn't want him to see her tears, he would be worried.

"Lucy, you idiot! Could you stop for a second so I could talk to you?" – He said, trying to catch up with her. The tiredness from practicing was getting the best of him, the friendly match was tomorrow, and now he had to deal with this.

"No, I don't want to talk to you right now, just leave me alone." – Lucy was half walking and half running, desperately wanting to get away from him. The kiss scene was flashing repeatedly through her mind, and she needed to make it disappear.

_This is so stupid. Isn't this what I want? Something to drag me away from him, from this thing that I call stupid crush?_

"Why? Is that because of that kiss? Lucy, it's not-"

"It has nothing to do with that kiss." – Lucy cut in.

"Then why are you running away from me?" – Sting said, extending his hand to grab her arm but it slipped.

"I'm not running away from you!" – She replied and sped up.

"Eh, yes, you're running, Lucy. And it's pretty fast." – Sting grumbled, also picking up speed.

"I'm running, but I'm not running away from you, okay? I didn't write something like a big 'Jerk' on your forehead with blue point pen." – Lucy rolled her eyes.

Sting's eyes narrowed at her reminder and he cursed the universe. Of all the time she could show up, it had to be the moment when Yukino kissed him. He didn't want Lucy to see something like that. He didn't know why, but it felt like he was cheating on her or something. Lucy's façade could be expressionless, but he could see through her. She was upset.

_But why is she upset?_

Was that because her feelings towards him somehow had progressed and she felt jealous? Or it was just something they called possessiveness when she saw her _best friend_, the one who exclaimed so many times that she was the only one important to him, kissing another girl? Was that selfishness, or something deeper? But whatever it was, he didn't care because he didn't want her to have any untrue thought about him, even in the slightest.

Lucy had already crossed the intersection when the green light turned on. Sting was half the way to where she was standing. All kinds of vehicles started moving, blocking his path.

"Lucy! Luce-" – Sting sighed when she turned around the corner and disappeared. He quickly walked back to school to grab his stuff. He wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if he didn't deal with this.

* * *

><p>Rogue took a first-aid bandage and put in on his cheek to cover the cut. Taking both his and Sting's bag, he headed back home.<p>

_I wonder if she's okay. _He thought. Sometimes, Rogue didn't know what would happen to Sting if he didn't stand by that idiot's side. The blonde was like a magnet that attracted everything called trouble and drama.

Anyway, he would call Lucy tonight to check up on her. Rogue knew her feelings pretty well although she tried to hide it. Sometimes, it was fun to be the one who stood between those two and watch them interact with each other in some silly way, trying to find out what their hearts wanted. He couldn't interfere, because only when they went through all kind of trouble, desperation, happiness, and sorrow, did their bond grow stronger. He admitted that he felt jealous, not only once, but so many times before and, sometimes, he also doubted the chance he had with her. But, they were both important to him. One was family and one was the love of his life, he couldn't lose them, so he would be the one who was taking the risk. It killed him to say this, but he believed that Sting could make this right for both of them.

"Hey, Rogue. Thanks for taking my bag." – Sting said, jogging near him. Rogue handed him the bag.

"What happened to your face?" – Sting asked, frowning. Rogue slightly shook his head.

"Nothing, it's just some scratch, don't worry. Have you talked to her yet?"

Sting sighed and pulled out his phone. – "No, she went home, I couldn't catch up with her. I'm calling her."

"She won't pick up." – He murmured. Lucy was always like that, she wouldn't pick up the phone from anybody when she was upset.

"I know, but I'll try. I'll go to her house later."

Rogue nodded. – "Don't go home when she's still mad at you." – He deadpanned. Sting raised a brow.

"Seriously? How come it was my fault?"

"Everything was your fault when it comes to Lucy." – Rogue said casually. Sting groaned, he swore Lucy would be the death of him someday.

* * *

><p>Gemi and Mini quickly opened the gate when they saw Lucy's figure appeared. She walked in without missing a beat.<p>

"If Sting's here, don't let him come in, okay?" – She said to the boys and they nodded.

"Hai, Lucy-sama."

She ran to her room. _Seriously, why did dad have to build this freaking big house, anyway?_ She panted slightly when she went upstairs, Virgo quickly followed behind. Seemed like her lady wasn't in a very good mood, she could see that. Layla was cooking dinner when she saw Lucy walked pass the dining room. _Something's wrong with her?_Layla thought worriedly.

Lucy slammed the door close and kicked off her shoes. She wiped the tears that just kept falling from her eyes. _Such a drama queen. Why do I have to cry?_ Her phone wouldn't stop ringing. _Probably Sting. _She thought. Lucy grabbed her phone to check who was calling. _Yep, that's him. _She glared at the innocent object before turning it off and tossing it in her drawer. She didn't want to talk to him, not in her current state.

"Hime-sama? Hime-sama? Are you all right?" – Virgo knocked on the door, asking her lady.

"I'm fine, Virgo. Just leave me alone, please." – Lucy said. Virgo frowned, but she complied anyway.

"Hai, but if you're not feeling well, please, call me, Hime. I'll bring you some tea." – She said and left when she didn't hear any response. She wondered what happened this time.

Lucy went to the bathroom to take a shower. It could refresh her mind, she needed to calm down before she had any murderous intentions. The water was cold, but she didn't mind. She almost threw a tantrum like a kid when the image came back in her mind. _LEAVE ME ALONE! _She screamed in her head. Lucy turned off the faucet and took a big towel with her.

After drying her body, she put on a creamy sweater dress and black knees socks. It was cold outside. _Who was that girl? _Lucy heard her name was Yukino, but she couldn't remember anything. Whoever she was, Lucy hoped that the girl would freeze to death in some accident. Her eyes widened.

_No, no, no, NO! I'm becoming mean. I don't want that. It was not her fault, she likes him so she wanted to kiss him. That's normal. She... she was just like me. _

She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Lucy, are you okay?" – Her mom called when she was drying her hair. She opened the door to find Layla standing at the doorway, holding a cup of tea. She told Virgo that she would bring it to Lucy herself.

"I-I'm fine, mom." – She said, taking the cup and thanking Layla.

"Are you feeling unwell? Tell me if something's wrong, okay?" – She said gently and patted Lucy's cheek. Lucy smiled.

"Hai." – Layla nodded and was about to leave when Lucy spoke up.

"I'm sorry about that night, mom. I know you didn't mean it, and you were just worried about me." – She said quietly. She couldn't stay mad at her mom any longer. It was her fault, if only she could have just listened to her, she was her mother and she cared about her. Layla looked at her and smiled.

"It's okay, honey. It was my fault, I shouldn't have said that." – She stroked her daughter's hair and kissed her forehead. She knew Lucy was upset because of something, and she really wanted to ask her what happened. But this time, she wouldn't force her to talk about stuff she didn't want to. Her daughter would share her worries with her if she wanted to.

Lucy hugged her mom and kissed her cheek, murmuring a small 'thank you' as her apology and gratitude. Layla's smile never left her face.

"Now rest, darling. Do your homework, then come downstairs for dinner, okay?" – Lucy nodded.

When her mother left, Lucy threw herself on the bed, recalling the scene she saw at the basketball court with Yukino fiercely kissing Sting.

_Damn it! _She cursed, then punched the pillow in front of her, imagining they were Sting's face. How could he let her take advantage of him like that? He didn't like her, that was for sure. _Stupid Sting. _She thought, glaring at the ceiling and sighed. Lucy knew that she had feelings for him, but she didn't expect her rage would be this huge when she saw him with another girl. Was it just a stupid crush like she had thought?

_That could be his first kiss. _She blushed slightly and scoffed. _Who am I kidding? A guy likes him must have kissed tons of girls before. _Another rage formed inside her at the thought, but she told herself to calm down. She unconsciously touched her lips when she thought about his. _I really want _them_ on _mine… _How will it taste? Salty? Sweet? Tasteless?_ She sighed. _I'm hopeless. _She turned around, face down on the pillow.

"Okay… Just be cool. He doesn't like her, it's just a stupid kiss. Yes, just a stupid kiss, I don't care…" – She murmured, her voice was muffed in the fluffy material. – "I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I-do-not-CARE." – She suddenly lifted her head and cried out the last word.

"Care about what?" – She squeaked in surprise and spun around to see Sting standing at the door. She narrowed her eyes.

"How long have you been standing there? How did you get here? Who let you in? What are you doing in my house?" – She asked back, ignoring his question. Sting raised his hands in defensive way and frowned.

"Easy there. I've just got in and well, I want to talk to _someone_, but apparently _someone_ just decided to run off, never answered my phone, and even told Gemi not let me in." – He narrowed his eyes.

"Well, _someone's _phone is turned off because his owner didn't want to talk to _someone... _How did _someone_ get in, if _someone _had told Gemi not to let _someone _in?" – She asked mockingly but this time her voice was full of true curiosity. Sting chuckled before putting back his serious face.

"I called your mom." – He replied nonchalantly. Lucy glared at him again and rolled her eyes. _Of course._

"Whatever, go away. I don't want to talk to you."

"Why?" – Sting scowled. – "You showed up at the basketball court, then just ran away like that. Is that because of that kiss?"

"It had nothing to do with that kiss." – Lucy grunted. He couldn't drop it, could he? _That's it, Lucy. Just be cool. _She thought.

"Then why?" – Sting insisted. Lucy recognized the frustration in his voice, she looked back at him over her shoulder. She got out of bed, folding her arms, then walked near him.

"Well, you asked me to come to watch you play, but instead of seeing how _wonderful _your team was, I got to see a super ridiculous soap opera of you and that girl. That's why." – Lucy stuck her tongue out at him and he raised an eyebrow.

"She kissed me, not the other way around. And we're just friends." – Sting shrugged.

"I said it had nothing to do with that kiss. Did I ask what was going on between you and her? I want nothing to do with her." - Sting frowned at her cold tone.

"That's harsh. You guys are friends, too."

"We're not friends, she didn't even show up when I was in the hospital and I recalled nothing when I saw her." – Lucy sat on the edge of her bed, legs crossing and arms spreading as props. Sting moved to lean against a dressing table beside her bed.

"She sent you a card when you were still in coma. You had read it, but probably didn't remember." – Sting tried to defend Yukino, after all, she was his classmate. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"That was just common courtesy, it didn't count. Let me tell you something, if you lose the game tomorrow, that's your fault for letting her take you off guard." – Lucy glared.

_Is that the reason? _Sting smirked inwardly. Lucy was smart but she couldn't hide her emotions very well. He was one of two people who could read her like an open book. It was fun to see her get jealous over another girl, he could tell it was cropping up so painfully obviously through her voice. He rarely saw that. Choosing to play ignorant for a while, he rubbed his chin.

"Right… Although it's just a friendly match, I don't want to lose to them. Any advice?"

"Yes, win it or I'll castrate you. That's my advice." – Lucy deadpanned. Sting arched an eyebrow, his smirk now appeared.

"That's not an advice, it's a threat. And are you sure you want to do that, though? How are we supposed to have kids if you castrate me?" – He innocently cocked his head aside. Lucy stared at him with narrowed eyes, her blush deepened.

"Who wants to have kids with you?" – She grumbled and looked away from his face, on which his smirk had just widened to a grin.

"C'mon, just think about it. Our kids are gonna have blond hair, the girl will have blue eyes like me and the boy will have brown eyes like you. Our boy is gonna be badass like his dad while our princess is gonna be sweet like her mother. One big, happy family, isn't that great?" – Sting beamed, then sighed dreamily.

Lucy's face was getting redder and redder with every sentence he spoke. Her heart was dancing wildly and she felt like it could explode from her chest any minute, but she was gonna play cool. She wouldn't let him get the best of her again.

"If we have kids, my children will have all my good genes, especially the boy, your genes are a disaster. I don't want my little prince to become a playboy and a jerk like his dad when he grows up. " – Lucy said calmly. Sting laughed lightly.

"So you do want to have kids with me?" – He asked suggestively, his grin never left his face.

"I didn't say _I wanted to_, I said _if._" – She corrected with annoying tone.

"So you do consider the possibility of us being together as a family." - Sting stated with a nod of approval.

"Shut up!" – She cried out in embarrassment while he cackled. _She didn't even deny it. _He thought. Lucy grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face, Sting swiftly caught it before tossing it back to her bed. He saw the fury in her eyes, so he decided to give her a break…

"Alright, maybe not. But please, reconsider your advice. I need _it_, oh, and you need _it_ too. We both need _it…_ To do _that_ if you really consider the possibility of us having kids" – Or maybe not, it was fun to tease her. Sting said calmly and Lucy frowned in confusion.

"Huh?" - _It? _What was he talking about?

He grinned widely. Realization started to sink in and Lucy cried.

"Oh my GOD!" – She face-palmed before covering her ripped-like-a-tomato face with her hands – "I can't believe you just said that, PERVERT!" – She yelled in her palm, Sting was laughing like crazy again. Her blushing was too adorable to let go. Lucy grabbed a slipper and aimed at him. This time, she was successful, the slipper hit its target right at its chest.

"Ow, that hurts." – Sting complained.

"That's your punishment for not shutting up." – Lucy glared. Her lips then dragged a cute pout. That eased his scowl and he chuckled before he moved to stand in front of her, arms folding. He whispered in a mysterious tone, like he was telling her a secret. - "But really, I don't to want to lose to them, maybe you could help me erase her bad omen?"

"How?" – Lucy raised her brows and gave him an incredulous look. He grinned and pointed at his lips.

"By kissing where she had kissed, it could bring me luck, you know?" – He blurted out frankly. Lucy stared at him with a bored look before shoved him aside and got up from her bed.

"Oh hell no! Don't you dare to use those lips kissed by her to kiss me." – Lucy moved to stand beside the windows, gazing down her backyard and spotting an unfamiliar Chevrolet. Sting gave her a quizzically look.

"Huh? Why?"

"She kissed you, you kiss me. It'll be like I kiss her and that's gross." – Lucy huffed. Sting chuckled.

"You're jealous." – He stated as a matter of fact. It was time to use his ace.

"I'm not." – She replied firmly, still looking out of the windows and he smirked. Ignoring her denial, Sting approached her. Lucy turned to look back at him when she didn't hear any response and almost gasped when she saw him standing so close to her. She looked at the ground, avoiding his eyes.

"I'm sorry." - He said quietly and seriously.

Lucy looked back at him, she tilted her head cutely. - "Why?"

"Because you had to see it and got upset." - She stared into his eyes, searching for deceit, but found none. Now she thought about it again more carefully, the whole incident was no one's fault. All you could blame in this situation was the emotion, and emotion couldn't do anything wrong. Emotion spoke what one's heart desired and despited.

"It's not your fault." - She mumbled. He took one more step, Sting was now merely an inch from her.

"There was nothing between me and her." - He reassured her.

"I know." - She gulped before she said softly. Her cheeks reddened again at their proximity, her pulse quickened, and she shrunk back against the wall, suddenly feeling so small. Sting used his fingers to lift a small curl of hair and bring it to his nose, smelling her shampoo. He presented her a mischievous smirk when she looked back at him sheepishly. Her mind was empty again when his warmth started to invade her inside out.

"You're jealous…" – He remarked again and Lucy shot him a glare of annoyance.

"But you don't have to…" - He cut her short when she was about to retort. His palm let go off her hair, his fingers brushed them against her cheek.

"All I ask of you to remember is…" – They trailed down to touch her virgin lips, lingering there. Lucy's eyes softened.

"You're the only girl who matters to me. Ever." – His left arm snaked around her waist, bringing her closer. There he was again, exclaiming the most obvious thing. Although it seemed like no matter how many times he said that, she usually forgot it. But that was okay, he could repeat it countless times without a problem, just to remind her.

"If you want a kiss, I'll give you a kiss. If you wonder how it'll be like to be kissed, I'll show you. All you have to do… Is ask." – He kissed her cheek tenderly and her eyes lidded.

"You're my girl and I'll give you so much more than a kiss." – She caught the double meaning behind the sentence and reopened her eyes to glare at him. He passed her a devilish smile.

"I'm not your girl, I'm my parents' girl." – She mumbled and gave him a smirk of her own. Lucy thought maybe he was just fooling around again like usual, although her heart's beat increased ten time when she heard those words. He snickered.

"You know what I'm talking about…" – He held her unwounded arm and put it around his neck.

"You want it too, right? Two words: 'Kiss me', say it and I'll comply." – He breathed in her lips, sending shivers down her spine. She looked into his eyes, biting her lips and contemplating her answer. Both of his hands were now clasped tightly around her waist as he stared at her rosy pink lips. She noticed this, so she lifted her other arm from her sides, gently hook them around his neck and stood on her tip-toes, bringing his face down, nearer to her own. Sting nearly closed his eyes and their noses touched slightly…

"Nope." – Lucy said nonchalantly and wriggled out of his hold. Sting eyes opened fully to frown at her.

"Kissing could pass 200 million bacteria from one mouth to another, you know. 200 are enough, I'm not gonna receive 200 more from _hers._" – Lucy flipped a lock of her hair behind her ear and started to walk to the door.

Sting blinked before he shook his head. _Such a __lady__. _He chuckled in amusement and quickly grabbed her arms, preventing her from going any further. She spun around and her front hit his chest. Being trapped in his arms, she barely had time to process what was going on before he pressed his lips firmly on hers.

Her eyes widened in shock and she struggled against his hold. He quickly released her lips and smirked when he saw her face reddened to the tips of her ears, arms dragging her closer if it was possible. She couldn't run away from him, not this time.

The image at the basketball court popped in her head, her rage started to rise again and his smirk was not helping at all, it was like he was mocking her or something. She yanked the collar of his shirt, bringing his face down to her level and started kissing him aggressively, possessively, hungrily, and angrily. A voice at the back of her head was screaming at her, asking what the hell she was doing, saying that she was ruining their friendship – something that was so beautiful and that she wouldn't be able to fix it if things didn't work out between two of them. But… At this moment, she didn't care. She was willing to take this risk, he was worth it.

The kiss was tasteless at first, but when her emotion began to bloom, she could feel the ecstasy and sweetness that he was pouring to her heart.

_So… good…_

It was honeyed, it was gentle and mesmerizing, the kiss was just like he imagined. Was that because of her, or was that because his emotion made him feel like this? There was no doubt that she was everything he ever wanted. He was getting over his past, his scares, trying to gather his strength and courage to make her his. He didn't know where they would go from this point, but he was willing to take the risk. She was worth it.

Lucy didn't know how Yukino felt when she kissed him. She wanted to wipe that girl's taste off his lips and replace with hers. She bit his bottom lips, a little hard, but not enough to draw blood, and placed her arms around his neck to pull him down closer. Sting moaned at the rough treatment before pushed her lower back more to his chest, leaving no gap between them. They were running out of oxygen but none of them could give a damn, too drunk in each other's taste to even care. They just wanted more and more and…

"Lucy-sama, your father wants to- OH MY GOD!" – Aries squeaked in surprise and dropped the empty tea-tray with a loud clang on the floor. The two love birds snapped out of their ecstasy and released each other immediately.

"A-Aries! Don't you know how to knock?" – Lucy scolded her maid, covering her embarrassment for being caught kissing Sting.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy-sama, I thought you were alone. I didn't expect to…see…Sting-sama…" – Aries apologized profusely and her voice trailed off the last part. Her face also blushed slightly.

Sting coughed, clearing his throat and smoothed the crinkle of his shirt. Lucy stood there awkwardly, scratching her hair. She suddenly found the carpet of her room very interesting. Aries sneaked a peek at her lady and Sting, both were blushing furiously. She covered her mouth to refrain herself from giggling, Lucy would be mad at her for making the situation worse.

"An-Anyway… What do you need?" – Lucy said after regaining her composure.

"Jude-sama want to see you, Lucy-sama. Loke-sama is waiting for you." – Aries bowed and said.

Lucy crunched her face in concentration, trying to remember who he was. She shot a look to Sting who also had frowned, silently asking if he knew him. He blinked at her and shrugged, Lucy then stared at his lips and blushed again. He smirked, she was so adorable. Lucy's eyes quickly darted to Aries, who gave her a knowing look and a small smile. She cleared her throat.

"Okay, thank you." – And walked out of her room, refusing to glance back at Sting.

Sting chuckled, eyes glued to her back until her figure disappeared behind the door.

"Sting-sama, Layla-sama asked you to stay for dinner." – Aries said politely.

"Drop the 'sama' please, it makes me uncomfortable. Where is she?" – Sting asked, hands in his pockets.

"Layla-sama is in the kitchen, Sting-sam- I mean, Sting-san." – Aries replied.

"Okay, thanks." – He said and walked out, still feeling so freaking good. He was also curious at who was her guest although the name felt painfully familiar, but he would ask her later. He hummed a new song he heard on the radio yesterday night.

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><p>Lucy touched her lips slightly as she smiled a sheepish smile. <em>I finally kissed him. <em>She recalled the feeling and her face was getting hot again. She cupped her cheeks in her palms to calm herself down. _It feels… kinda weird. _She giggled foolishly to herself.

_Wait, does that mean we are… No, I have to talk to him first before I make any assumption. _She thought.

Her feet brought her to the living room, where her father and her guest were waiting. She wondered who he was and what was that he had to do with her.

"Dad?" – She called and her father turned to look at her. He smiled.

"Ah, Lucy. Come, sit. Loke came to see you." – He said and she took the seat next to him.

"Lucy, are you feeling well?" – Loke asked. He had gone to the hospital to visit her when she was in coma, but didn't get the chance to visit her again until now because he was too busy. The manager wouldn't let him take a break for even a day. When he heard that she had an amnesia, he felt really disappointed. He just met her again after 7 years, she couldn't remember him once and that was bad enough, but twice? He sighed. Anyway, he was relieved that she was okay.

"I-I'm fine." – Lucy said, trying to remember who he was. Was he one of her friend? Probably, because he knew her name, right?

"Lucy, Loke is a friend of yours. He couldn't visit you more often because he was busy, but he was taking a break so you two could spend some time together." – Jude said. He had asked them to keep the whole engagement in secret for a while. They would talk about it again when her state got better.

"Really? Well, nice to meet you again, Loke." – Lucy smiled widely and extended her hand, expecting a handshake. Her smile made him speechless and all he could do was staring at her like an idiot, just like 7 years ago when he first met her. Jude had to cough to snap him out of his daydream. He cleared his throat and smirked.

"Same here, Lucy." – He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he kissed it. She laughed lightly. Well, she was in a good mood so she would let him fool around. He was her friend anyway, right? Her father seemed friendly towards them, unlike Sting and Rogue. _I wonder why? _They must be close to her family and her. Oh well, better get to know him again.

**End of chapter 15.**

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><p><strong>Done! This one is my most favorite chapter so far XD I hope the kiss scene fits your taste :P Tell me what you think!<br>**

**Thank your for reading and until next time!**


	16. Chapter 16 - The bet

**Hey guys! Good to see you back! I had two crazy week, but I managed to pull through and now I bring you chapter 16 of Pure XD **

**OMG! The last chapter has been my most favorite chapter so far! And I received so much love from you guys *cry happily* Thank you for reading, following, making this your favorite story C:**

**Special thanks to my beta - Iza, she's the best.**

**My gratitude to: Annechase, zin - chan - luvs - u (Your review was always funny :)), Petra, Shoukou Heart, rolulove4ever, ZaxForever, StiLu RoLu JeLu Love, **Rolu, **NatashAurel (OMG she's a RivaMika shipper, I'm happy that we met, girl ^^!) **  
><strong>**

**Guest: *sob* Thank you so much!**

**Guest: Aw, that's so nice of you to say so :D**

**I'm . such . a . geek: I'm glad I can make you feel that way XD  
><strong>

**Bluefrost15: Thank you! I'm glad ^^~**

**Guest (who was reading while I was writing this :))) Don't worry, just let the emotion go :))**

**Thank you so much!**

**NOTE: This story is StiCy as well as RoLu. There will be RoLu moment. Please, be patient ^^~ I'm looking forward to it as much as you guys, believe me ^^~. Oh, another thing, I don't hate Yukino or Loke, heck I love Loke! But we need someone to play the hard role, right? XD**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 16 - The bet**

"Could you, please, say it again? Who is he?" – Sting asked, glancing at the guy with orange hair who was talking to Lucy's parents.

Lucy held back a long sigh before replying. – "For the third time, Sting, he is my friend."

"Your friend? I didn't know you have _the _Loke as your friend. How come you never told me about that? Are you sure he is your friend?" – Sting frowned slightly.

Sting had been helping Layla prepare dinner when Jude, Lucy, and some guy had walked in. He'd recognized that guy immediately. It was Loke, the supermodel or something he usually saw on Fiore Weekend Magazine from the Press Club. The girls loved him and Lucy hadn't been the exception until a year ago (you all must have known the reason). When they had met, they greeted each other friendly, smiling, shaking hands... Lucy really didn't know why, but she felt kinda relieved. They were now gathering at the dining table to have somewhat a cozy dinner. Lucy was sitting in the middle with Sting on her left side, Layla was on her right side, Loke took place across the table, and her father sat on his left.

"Well, I'm having an amnesia, so I can't remember, but my dad said so. Besides, it's not like I told you everything that happened in my life." – She said nonchalantly.

"…"

Lucy turned to look at him when she didn't hear any response. He was raising a brow at her.

"Seriously? Everything?" – Sting nodded slowly. She sighed.

"How close are we, anyway?" – She asked although she already knew the answer.

Sting smirked before answering quietly. – "Really, really close." – He winked.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and gave him a kick on his shin. He almost yelped in pain, but tried to restrain himself. Sting gave her a look that said "What the hell did I do?"

She mouthed "I just felt like hitting you." and she jerked up her chin slightly in a challenging way. Sting picked up a chopstick to prod at her waist, tickling her. She tried to kick him again, but he used his legs to tangle hers with his own, restraining her from giving him more pain. Meanwhile, Jude, Layla, and Loke were still reasoning with each other about something. It was not until they heard Lucy's soft laughter that they turned to look at those two. The couple was trying to tickle each other. Layla and Loke blinked, Sting immediately regained his composure when he caught the look Jude was giving him. Lucy covered her mouth to hide her smile. In one last act, she kicked Sting's shin again and he jerked slightly, his fingers twitched. _Damn it, Lucy! _

Loke cleared his throat before asking. He nearly forgot that the one he really wanted to talk to was in front of his eyes.

"So, Sting. Are you studying at Fiore with Lucy, too?" – He said carefully.

Sting nodded, swallowing his food, then replied.

"Yeah, I'm in Sabertooth while she is in Fairy Tail."

"Wow, you two are both in guilds? I've heard that only talented students are able to join a guild."

"Yeah, although his brain sometimes has problems, he is really good at sports." – Lucy said nonchalantly and gave Sting a smirk when he glared at her.

Loke laughed lightly. - "It's really fun to have a sibling, huh? I always wanted to have a little sister or a younger brother to tease."

"Huh?" – Lucy, Layla, and Sting turned to stare at him. _Sibling?_

Jude inwardly facepalmed; he forgot to tell him about Sting. Loke blinked and pushed up his glasses. _Why is he wearing glasses all the time? _Lucy thought.

"Umm… You're two… Are not siblings?" – He asked slowly.

Sting narrowed his eyes. Somehow, he hated it when people referred to him and Lucy as brother and sister. He never wanted to be her brother, for God's sake.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no. We're not, nor we will ever want to be." – He said.

Lucy nodded and gave him a bright smile although she felt kinda strange._ I've never mentioned Sting and Rogue to him?_

Loke's eyes flew back and forth between them. _They're really look-alike. _He mused.

Lucy sent her father a quizzical look, but he was avoiding her eyes, trying to eat his meal in silence. Layla covered her mouth to hide her knowing smile. Jude had definitely forgotten to give him some information about her friends before declaring that Loke was her friend.

"So… You guys are classmates or something?" – Sting raised an eyebrow, but nodded anyway. _Or something. _He wanted to say it out loud. Just like Lucy, he could smell something funny here.

"Anyway, I've heard that you have a basketball match tomorrow. Is that correct, Sting?" – Jude inquired, distracting them from Loke's perplexity.

"Ah, yes, Jude-san. Despite it being just a friendly match, we take it kinda seriously, because our rival is Fairy Tail – Lucy's guild." – Sting answered politely.

He knew Jude just asked out of courtesy. Lucy's father never cared about what Sting and Rogue did anyway. He didn't like them, but he didn't hate them either. He was just a little…frigid towards them. Nobody ever knew why.

"Loke, you should come. You and Lucy could watch, then celebrate the triumph together." – Jude said casually. Layla gave him a look of disapproval.

"Dad, Sabertooth has the equal chance to win, just like Fairy Tail." – Lucy said softly, frowning at her father.

_The match hasn't even begun yet… _Sting sighed inwardly. Sometimes, he thought that her father enjoyed giving him such a hard time. Therefore, Sting just hummed in response. Loke felt the tension was rising, so he laughed lightly to ease the mood.

"Lucy's right, Jude-san. And I would love to watch her friend play, so I'll be there. Lucy, can I have the privilege to sit next to you on the stand tomorrow?" – Loke looked straight in her eyes, giving her the most charming smile of him. She arched a brow, then smiled.

"Why, of course. I'm glad." – She said cheerfully. Sting narrowed his eyes, the smile she gave Loke wasn't genuine. Something was bothering her, he was sure of it.

After that, the dinner went smoothly; not that they had many things to talk about. Layla also recognized her daughter's swing of mood. She wondered what was on her mind. Jude and Loke, however, didn't suspect anything. The conversation mostly centered around Loke's life as a supermodel. _Is he trying to show off his soon to be son-in-law? _Layla thought. And of course, it went without saying. Lucy, as well as Sting, was bored to death.

Right at that moment, the only thing in Sting's mind was Lucy. All he wanted was to talk to her about _them_. But then again, he didn't know what he should say to her in the first place and he was a little freaked out. Seriously, he had dealt with tons of girls, he always knew what he should and shouldn't say to a girl, what he should and shouldn't do to charm a girl. However, it was a totally different story when it came to Lucy. That girl could be an angel and a little devil at the same time. She was fierce, but she was also gentle. She knew him too well, his tricks didn't have any effect on her, not that he would use any of those on Lucy.

_What should I do now? _He mused. Was that too soon for him and Lucy to be in a relationship? Should they wait? What would Rogue do if he were him? His strain of thought came to a halt when Rogue popped in his head. _What will Rogue do when he knows? _

Lucy glanced at him. His face seemed troubled. _Something's wrong?... Oh God, don't tell me he has the second thought about what happened. _Lucy heaved a sight. _Don't do this to me, Sting. I'll kill you if you ruin my good mood. _She glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, but he didn't notice, so she hurriedly pushed those thought out of her mind. He wouldn't do that to her, she was just over-reacting.

By the time the meal ended, it was already 7.30 PM. Lucy and her parents started to see Loke out.

"Well, it was nice to see you again, Lucy. I'll see you tomorrow." – Loke said, then bowed. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, but she gave him a playful slap on his cheek and a smirk.

Sting scowled, he didn't like this guy. Who did he think he was? Openly flirting with her like that. However, Sting couldn't do anything about that, not with Jude in the same room.

"Of course. Good night, Loke." – She said casually.

"Good night, Lucy, Sting." – He said and got in his car.

When the car was out of Heartfilias' backyard, Lucy's parents went back inside, leaving her and Sting alone. Sting opened his mouth, but she beat him to it.

"You should go, too. It's late. I'll talk to you tomorrow." – Lucy turned around swiftly, but he quickly grabbed her arm.

"Hey, something's wrong? You seem strange. We can talk about…you know…later if you want. But, tell me what's wrong, you just suddenly turned cold." – He asked gently.

Lucy blinked at him, then the corner of her lips turned up. The smile brought back warmth to her face and eyes.

"Nothing, I was just thinking. Nothing too serious. I'll talk to you tomorrow, after the match." – She winked, then took his hands and gave them a squeeze. He chuckled.

"Okay, but don't try to hide anything from me, I'll find out sooner or later." – He smirked, pulling closer, then gave her a peck on the lips. – "Good night." – He turned around before she could see his blush. She didn't mind, because she was also trying to hide her red face.

Lucy stood there until Sting's figure disappeared before her eyes. Now, what should she do about her _friend - _Loke?

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><p><strong>[The next day]<strong>

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Fifteenth Sport Congress of Fiore Academy is officially opened…" – The announcer said loudly and the crowd went crazy.

The Sport Congress included many activities like: relay race, swimming, fencing, basketball, martial arts… This was the most awaiting event of the year, people got to see 4 guilds compete to find out the strongest one of all. A true competition was always epic. That day was the first day, so they opened the congress with the competition of the cheerleaders from the 4 guilds, then came the most fascinating sport in Fiore: basketball. Of course, they were all waiting to see Fairy Tail and Sabertooth play against each other. Last year it had all ended with a draw, but this year could be different. Sting and his team had never been able to defeat Fairy Tail. They hoped that the triumph at the friendly match would give them some hope for actual winning this year.

"Rogue… Rogue! Hey!" – Sting waved his hand in front of Rogue's face. The black-haired guy snapped out of his thought and focused his eyes on Sting.

"Something's wrong?" – He asked. There was no time to zone out right now, they had to stay focus. Rogue nodded.

"I was just thinking."

"About what?" – Rogue flicked his tongue before replied swiftly. – "Nothing."

In truth, Rogue was thinking about last night when Sting had come back.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<br>**

_"It's kinda late, did Sting tell you when he would be home?" – Weisslogia asked, pushing up his glasses. _

_"Father, he has come home later than this, you don't have to worry." – Rogue said calmly, flipping through the channels to find something to watch while his father was reading._

_"How is Lucy?" – He asked again after a minute._

_"She's fine, her memories are coming back, I'm sure she will recover soon. Do you want me to ask her to come? We could have dinner or something and you could talk to her. It's been a long time." – Rogue glanced at his father. _

_"No, it's fine." – Weisslogia answered quietly, holding back a sigh. Rogue knew Weisslogia still blamed himself for what happened, but it wasn't his fault and it was so unfair that Jude didn't let Lucy meet him, even just for a second. He hoped that when Lucy regained her memories, she could persuade her father to let go of the past. Rogue nodded silently and retreated to his room, he still had to study. _

_By the time he had done his homework, it was almost 8. He allowed himself to take a break and think about Lucy. He wondered what were they doing. Were they fighting? Was Lucy upset or angry? If she was angry, then Sting would be in big trouble. _Where the hell is that idiot, he should be home by now. _Rogue sighed._

_"I'm home." – _Speaking of the devil. _Rogue shook his head and waited for Sting to come and find him. The door creaked, opening, and the Sting's head sneaked in. The blonde grinned widely. Rogue raised a brow. _Seem like someone's happy.

_"Hey…" – Sting plopped himself down on Rogue's bed and stared at the ceiling with the most stupid smile Rogue had ever seen._

_"Let me guess, Lucy was furious and she hit your head so hard that your brain now is badly damaged?" – He said mockingly. _

_"Nah, we made up." – Sting was grinning again, then he sighed dreamily._

_"Okay, what happened? You're creeping me out." – Rogue asked. Sting opened his mouth to tell him, but he thought for a second and decided against it._

_"Nothing, we made up, like always. I don't know why, but it felt kinda more relieved than usual." – He said. _

_Rogue stared at him, contemplating the reason why Sting felt that way._

_"Well, maybe because things were more serious this time." – He shrugged. _

_Sting's smile dropped and Rogue wondered if he said something wrong._

_"Yeah, it's getting more serious." – Sting murmured, still staring at the ceiling. Silence embraced the two of them, with Rogue gaping at the blonde like he was waiting for some words to appear on Sting's face and explain the situation to him. _

**[End of Flash back]  
><strong>

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><p>Although he had said that, he couldn't stop the nagging doubt that Sting was hiding something from him. That thought put him in uneasiness. At the same time, Sting knew that Rogue would find out what happened sooner or later, so he would never lie to him. <em>Maybe I'm overreacting.<em>

"Okay, it's show time. Play your best. If Lucy castrates me, I'll castrate all of you." – He said.

His friends stared and gave him weird looks, but quickly brought their attention back to the game. Sabertooth's members formed a line and jogged to the court. The cheers and the shouts became like an earthquake wave when both guilds appeared on the basketball court.

"SABERTOOTH! SABERTOOTH! SABERTOOTH!" – The Tigers roared, but the Fairies were second to none. - "FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL!" – The temperature was rising and both teams, as well as their fans, were burning with anticipation. After a minute or so, the noise died down. Sabertooth and Fairy Tail were eyeing each other cautiously, trying to find out the rival's weakness so they could make the best out of the tactics. Both were silently waiting. Suddenly, the referee threw the ball in the air. The whistle was blown and the game started.

* * *

><p>"Loke-sama, are you sure about this? I mean, you're presence there will surely bring a lot of reporters to Lucy-sama's school. It'll be chaotic." – Kira said, trying to persuade his master not to come to Fiore Academy.<p>

"Sounds fun." – Loke smirked.

"Loke-sama!"

"Just kidding…" – He snickered. – "I have to come, Kira. I want to spend some time with her. Besides, it's fine if there are some reporters there. I could "accidentally" reveal the news that I'm about to engage to a girl studying in Fiore. I want to see what her two "best friends" will do if they find out." – He said, looking down at his Rolex watch.

Jude perhaps had forgotten to mention them, but it didn't affect his intention at all. He tried to find out some info about her friends last night, after they had had a dinner at the Heartfilia's mansion. Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney were the most standing out people among her friends. They grew up together.

Loke didn't have to ask much, only by looking at Sting, he could tell that the guy held some deep feelings for her. The way he frowned when Loke took her hand, the way he inched closer to her when he thought that Loke was invading her personal space… It was subtle, but it was surely there. His eyes shone blue, watching Loke's every movement like a hawk. And that was only one of them, he wondered what kind of trouble he would face when he met the other one.

"Loke-sama, can I ask you something personal?" – Kira questioned, Loke nodded. The limousine sped up as Kira chose his words carefully.

"Why are you so obsessed with that girl? You spent so much time and effort trying to find who she is while you could have tons of others. You and her barely know each other, why her?" – Kira hoped that Loke didn't feel offended by what he had said. Loke laughed lightly.

"You're talking about her like she is just a random girl. You now surely know who she is, right? She's Lucy Heartifilia – the daughter of the most wealthy man in this country, she's the first-rank student of Fiore – the most honorable Academy in this country, she has a kind heart and she's special. She saved my life, I owe her." – Loke gave his servant another smirk.

"But Loke-sama, it doesn't mean that you have to marry her to pay-"

"We're here." – He cut in and quickly got out of the car.

"Loke-sama." – Kira's voice was muffled by the noise outside. His bodyguards followed him closely, preventing the reporters from coming close to the male model. The light from cameras just kept flashing and Loke was bombed with hundreds of questions.

The news about Loke's appearance at Fiore Academy for a basketball match attracted a lot of attention. They said he was there because 'a girl' had asked him to, which was the origin of this fuss. People wondered who would be 'the lucky girl' this time? Who was the one making him break up with Suri – the famous pop singer just a while ago? The person who spread the news was of course his manager. That sly guy always knew how to keep his star staying at the center of the flash. He didn't reveal too much info though, just enough to arouse the curiosity.

Loke shrugged off all the questions. Jude wouldn't be pleased if he knew Loke answered the questions which involved his daughter. He walked pass the main gate, going straight to the court with the reporters trailed behind. The Sport Congress was happening and the parents of the students were allowed to come, so nobody stopped them.

"Hey, is that Loke?"

"Oh my God, it's him."

"Loke-sama, Loke-sama."

"Kyaaaa, it's Loke-sama."

The girls started to squeal and followed the guy when they recognized who he was. Not long after, Loke already had a long queue of people walking closely behind him and the bodyguards. When he was at the door leading to the basketball court, however, the bodyguards turned around to keep the reporters as well as the girls outside. Loke pushed the door open the cheers hit his ears loudly. Loke took off his jacket and held it with one arm, then pulled on a cap to cover his hair and face.

"FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL! – He walked to the rail and looked at the score board. Fairy Tail was in the lead by 27 goals to 26. There were only 3 minutes left before the ending of the third round. He looked around to find Lucy. _The A stand, row 1... There she is. _He hurriedly approached her, people were too engrossed to the match to even notice him. _That's good. _He didn't want to interrupt the match, that was why he came late.

"Stop him, stop him, STOP HIM, NATSU!" – He heard Lucy and other people shouted, before he could look back at the court, another loud cheers resounded, but this time, it was coming from B stand where Sabertooth's members were. C stand and D stand were for the others. Sabertooth was in the lead by 28 goals to 27 and the one who achieve a feat was Sting.

The blonde looked at the A stand, winking and blowing a kiss at Lucy as a challenging way. The Tigers cheered again while the Fairies booed. Lucy raised an eyebrow at him and stood up. She kissed her fingers, turning half way and slapping it slightly to her butt as a silent "Kiss my ass", then sat back down. The Fairies busted out laughing and lots of wolf whistle could be heard. Sting laughed and quickly got back to the game.

"That was quite a show." – Loke mumbled, smiling.

He sat on the vacancy place beside her without saying a word. She was watching the game intently, so she didn't see him. Fairy Tail and Sabertooth were almost equal in strength and talent, but, of course, Fairy Tail was still better. Loke took off his glasses to watch the game better. Sooner or later, he would be recognized and the attention would be focused on Lucy. He wondered what she would do.

"YEAHHHH!" – Another shout for joy resounded from Fairy Tail when their team earned a point. The game was getting hotter and hotter every minute, there was only one round left. It was just a friendly match and both teams had already brought out their best, Lucy wondered what would happen if it was the true competition. It was hard to tell who was gonna win.

The referee blew the whistle and the third round ended, they were going to take a 10 minutes break. The spectator started to discuss the game when two teams' members walked out of the court to the dressing room. Lucy pulled out her phone to check the time, Levy and Erza were talking to each other on her right side.

"This is a good match." – Someone commented near Lucy's ear. She stopped checking her phone to look at him.

"Loke? I thought you couldn't come." – Lucy smiled politely at him.

"Of course I had to come, how could I let go of the privilege to sit by your side?" – He remarked charmingly and Lucy mentally rolled her eyes. She didn't like the guy, but she didn't particular hate him or something. She just felt uncomfortable around him, she didn't feel like that around her true friends, even when she didn't remember them the first time she woke up. Lucy knew he was not one of them and that her father lied to her, therefore she wondered who he was beside a famous model.

"So who do you think is gonna win?" – She said, starting a friendly conversation.

"Fairy Tail, of course." – He said, leaning on, pretending that he was just trying to make her hear him clearer. Lucy folded her arms and crossed her legs, keeping a defensive pose.

"I'm gonna say Sabertooth." – Lucy said quietly, but loudly enough for him to hear. Her answer surprised him.

"Why? Fairy Tail is definitely gonna win, they're clearly better than Sabertooth. And isn't that your guild? It's strange when you want Sabertooth to be the winner."

"Don't twist my words, Loke. I never said I wanted Sabertooth to be the winner."

"Oh? And why is that?" – He asked.

"I'm loyal to Fairy Tail, that's my guild so of course I want them win. But, to be honest, I hope that Sabertooth will win. My friends always want to defeat them, even just once. It's a friendly match, it won't be a big deal if Fairy Tail just takes a step back." – Lucy said.

Loke stared at her for a minute. - "You really care about him, don't you? How close are you, anyway?" – Loke questioned, referring to Sting.

"That's not something my_ friend _would ask, would he?" – Lucy replied, still looking straight at the court. She knew she had his attention the moment she said those words.

"All my friends know about my relationship with Sting and Rogue. You don't know Rogue and you don't know that they're my friends either. Therefore, it means we're barely talking to each other and that's why I didn't mention them to you. I don't consider someone I barely talk to as my friend…." – Lucy turned her head to stare at him. Loke tried to keep eyes-contact, he forced a smile. _She knew?_

"But I could be wrong, a lot of my friends still didn't know about them until they met them." – Lucy grinned. _Don't let the game over so soon, Lucy. _

Loke laughed lightly. _She knew. _He thought, but well, he didn't have any explanation to her earlier statement, so he would take what she gave him. She was really smart.

"Yeah…" – He said uncomfortable. Lucy broke the eyes-contact, looking down the court again, trying to hide her smirk.

"Anyway…" – He cleared his throat to regain his composure. - "Don't keep your hope too high, Lucy. You might be disappointed, because I still think Fairy Tail is gonna win." – Loke said smugly. Lucy just hummed in response. Loke looked at her for moment to contemplate his thought, then decided to bait.

"How about we make a bet?"

"A bet?" – Lucy blinked and tilted her head cutely to look at him. Loke smiled.

"Yeah, a bet."

"What's the condition?" – She asked.

"If Fairy Tail wins, you will kiss me in front all of your friends, then go on a date with me." – He said casually and Lucy's eyes widened.

"Wha… What? What kind of condition is that?" – She blushed slightly. He chuckled.

"It's okay if you don't want to take it. You don't rate them too high and you don't think that they can win, even though you hope so. Deep down inside, you know that Fairy Tail can't be defeated and Sting as well as his team won't stand a chance." – He provoked. _Fairy Tail has to win. If they don't, well…I guess it's okay. Lucy's condition couldn't be that bad, right? _He told himself.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at his remark. _Two could play a game. _She was calculating the result if she took the bet. _The date can't be avoided, but it won't kill anyone. It's okay, but what about the kiss? Huhm… He didn't say that I have to kiss his lips. _She inwardly smirked. _I could kiss him anywhere, as long as it's a kiss. _

"Fine…" – She nodded. Loke mentally cheered, he grinned from ear to ear, waiting for her condition.

"But if I win, you'll have to wear one of my bikini, standing at crossroads all morning while holding a board saying "I'm gay", how about that?" – She asked innocently and Loke's smile dropped, his face was horrified. _Got cha. _She snickered at his face. _Oh poor Loke, falling into his own trap. _Lucy folded her arms once again, looking at him rather smugly.

Loke gulped, he knew that would be humiliated, but he was the one who made the bet. There was no turning back. He took a deep breath. - "Okay, deal." – Then nodded reluctantly.

_Oh please, Fairy Tail, please win this. Please, please, please. _Loke prayed.

The voice of the announcer brought them back to the match. The break time is over and Lucy couldn't wait to see who would be the winner.

**End of chapter 16**

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><p><strong>Well, not much in this chapter :D It's kinda boring, in my opinion. And it had been a pain in my ass, trust me -_-<strong>

**I had to rewrite it several times, it was so frustrating -.- Anyway, tell me what you think!  
><strong>

**Gotta go now, thank you for reading and... RoLu moment is on the way ^^~ **


	17. Chapter 17 - Nothing

**Hey guys! Nice to see you again ^^~. I bring you new chapter of Pure! **

**First of all, thank you all for reading, following, making it your favorite story and reviewing. XD I appreciated it a lot. I replied to your reviews at the end of the chapter.  
><strong>

**Special thanks to my beta, Iza XD As usual. She helped me with the "basketball scene", I don't know anything about basketball =))**

**I had fun writing this chapter although it's kinda long. I hope you guys don't mind. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 17 - Nothing**

"OH, COME ON!" – Loke shouted when Fairy Tail missed another shot.

Lucy glanced at him and sniggered. The guy was so caught up in the game that he didn't even realized her classmates were looking at him weirdly, wondering who the hell he was. Lucy smiled to herself, then frowned when she realized that once Sabertooth won, she would have to humiliate the man in front of the whole town, even the whole country.

_Humiliate… Humiliated… Humiliate…._

A sudden memory flashed through her mind and she blinked. Did she just see Sting's face all covered in ink? She snickered when she remembered what happened in details.

_Wait,_ _I humiliated Sting once?_

She widened her eyes in horror and she glanced at Loke again. Now, she felt kinda bad. Sting was her closed to her, it was okay if she played a prank on him. But Loke was different, besides, he was a model, a famous person. She didn't know what would happen to his career once _that bet _was on the newspaper.

_Is that too much? _Lucy mused.

Her thoughts didn't have any chance to go any further, though, because her attention was brought back to the game when Fairy Tail successfully scored.

The score by now was 30 goals to 29 with Fairy Tail in the lead.

_Oh well, I could always change the condition later. _She shrugged and focused on the game again, not bothered by that anymore.

The ball was wandering from Mamura to Rufus. The blonde from Sabertooth tried to pass through Jet, but the Fairy Tail's member was faster. Jet blocked his way and he didn't have another choice but to pass the ball to Rogue. Unfortunately, Gajeel successfully stole the ball and his team quickly concentrated upon counteraction. Rogue was trailing closely behind him; Gajeel was the only one who could be compared to him in speed. That was why Sting told him to set his eyes on the dark haired Fairy Tail player. Rogue blocked his way, glaring at him, yet, Gajeel just smirked. He quickly passed the ball to Gray and the second black-haired guy jumped, slamming another drunk for Fairy Tail.

The crowed got hyped up again and cheered loudly.

"Oh my God, Gray-sama's scored! Did you see it?" – Juvia squealed, making her friends sweatdrop at her behavior.

Lucy shook her head, smiling. _C'mon, Sting, Rogue… Show me what you got… _

31 goals to 29 for Fairy Tail.

"Come on! Let's get one in! – Sting shouted to his friends.

Jellal was holding the ball, he passed by Orga, but lost the ball to Sting. The blonde jumped. From this distance, he could still make a shot. However, before the ball could fly more than 3 feet, a figure hopped and hit the ball, changing its way of going and saving the basket.

"I don't think so." – Natsu said, smirking.

"WOW!" – The crowd continued to watch in awe. Sting glared at him.

"Wait, the ball's still in." – Lucy mumbled.

Before it went out of the court, Rogue quickly caught the ball. He rose up, his shoulders were tense and he made a jump, the ball went straight to basket, passing every hands which were trying to block it. Lucy held her breath…

*Bam* Gajeel appeared out of nowhere and hit the ball, leading it out of its original path. Lucy flicked her tongue. _Damn it. _The ball flew in Rufus' direction and he caught it, standing in front of the basket. He turned and saw Gray facing him. Both made their jumps; Rufus was taller, but Gray leaped higher. The ball hit his palm and went out of the court.

"YES!" – Loke shouted and Fairy Tail cheered, 3 block in a row.

"FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL! FAIRY TAIL! – The crowded started again. Lucy kept her face neutral, only biting her lips. It took all of her will power not to scream at Sting and his team. _If I have to go on a date with him and kiss him in front all of my friends, IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT, STING! _Lucy frowned slightly.

"Defense! Defense! Defense! – Reserve players from Fairy Tail shouted while Sabertooth's shouted – "Attack! Attack! Attack!

Mamura held the ball, wondering who he should pass it to. Most of the Tigers were blocked by Fairies.

"Mamura!" – Rogue yelled. He was standing among three players from Fairy Tail.

"That's impossible, they are blocking him too tightly." – Lucy murmured.

And she was right. Before Rogue could touch the ball, Gajeel had already caught it.

"Bastard." – Rogue cursed and Gajeel chuckled. – "Let's continue, shall we?"

Gajeel dashed toward the basket of their rival with Rogue following closely, being just one step behind.

"OOHHHHH!" – Some spectators unconsciously stood up. Lucy widened her eyes. _So fast. _Sabertooth quickly came back in defense.

"He's shooting!" – Levy yelled. Gajeel bounded and Rogue narrowed his eyes. _Don't even think about it. _He thought.

"Stop him, Rogue!" – Sting shouted. Rogue tried to block it, but his hand hit nothing. Gajeel threw the ball to his left hand, creating a false move to distract Rogue and handed it back to Natsu, who was standing behind him just a few feet.

"What?" – Rogue frowned. He turned around, but it was too late. Natsu took the chance, running to the basket really fast, then made a jump.

"YEAHHHH!" – The Fairies cheered loudly. Another score for Fairy Tail.

Loke smirked, he gave Lucy a thump up, on which she responded with an eyes-roll. Still, it was a really awesome shot, she admitted.

"NICE ONE, NATSU." – She shouted, smiling at him.

Natsu looked at her and gave her his toothy grin. He looked like a kid just receiving his birthday gift. 32 goals to 29 for Fairy Tail.

"Tsk." – Sting glared at Natsu's back, panting.

"Focus." – Rogue said calmly.

They restored the formation and continued the chase, trying to catch up with their rivals.

And it was not easy. That was the last round, let alone this was also Fairy Tail they were talking about. Lucy watched with amazement how the two teams pulled about the score fiercely. Last minute, Sabertooth had managed to draw, but the next minute, Fairy Tail was once again in the lead. Looking at her friends down on the court, she could partly understand why they loved this sport so much. All their personalities were exposed to her in the way they hit the ball, the way they led it, the way they blocked the ball. Natsu and Sting with strength, Gray and Rufus with cleverness, Gajeel and Rogue with briskness… _Ha, members of both teams have found their true rivals. I bet the match between them is not an easy task. _Lucy thought with a small smile on her lips. It was like they were born to face each other.

Another shot from Sabertooth and the score was 33 to 33. They were now equal, however, Lucy didn't know how long it would last.

At the moment, the ball was in Gray's hands and it seemed like he was going for another drunk. He ran past Orga and Rufus, throwing the ball to the basket without making a jump. Gajeel had read his intention and quickly made his move.

"Alley-oop?" – _Woa. _Lucy watched Gajeel jumping the highest he could. Somehow, the scene looked really familiar to her.

_Almost there. _Gajeel thought.

"I don't think so." – Rogue appeared, snatching the ball right under his nose. Both of them landed on the ground lightly.

"Rogue!" – Lucy breathed out. _Right, I remember seeing Rogue making an alley-oop once. _The familiar image popped in her mind and she unconsciously smiled.

_"I just told you, you suck, Rogue." - She continued to laughed lightly. He flicked her forehead, making her yelp._

_"Liar, I know I'm good."_

_"Then why did you ask?" - She pouted._

_A light blush crept its way to his cheeks._

_"I just wanna hear it from you." - He mumbled and looked at the ground, trying not to make eye-contact._

_She raised her eyebrows in surprise and giggled. _Aww, he looks so cute_._

_She stood on her tip-toe and kissed his cheek._

_"I was kidding. You're excellent."_

"C'mon, let's continue, shall we?" – Rogue said calmly.

Gajeel arched a brow and dashed toward him. Rogue passed through Jet and Gray, they were no match for his speed. The only one who could stop him was Gajeel. Rogue jumped to the basket, but Gajeel wouldn't let it happen. He raised his hand to block the Tiger's way, yet…

_What? _Gajeel widened his eyes. Rogue let go of the ball and it went straight into Sting's hands, who standing right next to him… They both smirked… _Revenge is sweet._

"YEAHHHHH!" – A loud cheer from Sabertooth commented the duo's perfect action and Lucy laughed lightly. _Nice job, Rogue. _She looked at her phone. 4_ minutes left. _Sabertooth was in the lead.

"Don't let them score anymore." – Sting shouted to his team and they all nodded. Fairy Tail would surely try to level the score, Sabertooth was having the upper hand, they couldn't let it slip so they tightened their defense. Various series of shots were made, but none of them could pass the hands of the players from Sabertooth. Next to Lucy, Loke looked like he was on the tenterhooks. The time was running out, if Fairy Tail wanted to win, they had to level the score, quickly.

**2 minutes.**

The ball was in Natsu's hands. Sting was marking him with precision, but Natsu could see the weak spot in Orga. He passed the ball to Gray and the guy handed it to Jet, standingbehind Orga. Orga was tall, but Jet had the advantage of speed. He successfully caught it, then passed it to Gajeel. The black-haired guy jumped. Unfortunately, Rogue was slower just a tad and the ball went smotthly through the net.

"Fuck!" – Sting cursed. 34 goals to 34, a tie again.

**1 minutes.**

Both teams desperately tried to score. They were taking this friendly match too seriously. The ball was again in Gray's hands. He passed it to Natsu and the team captain jumped to make a score.

"Sorry, that's not going to happen, Natsu-san." – Sting said quietly. Sting caught the ball and Sabertooth flooded back the rival's ground. Natsu glared.

**25 seconds.**

He chased after Sting. The two team captains were glaring at each other. After several passes, the ball came back to Sting again. Natsu tried to snatch it, but the blonde dodged him quickly.

**13 seconds.**

Sting suddenly made a jump…

"What? From that distance?" – Lucy murmured. The crowd stood up, holding their breaths.

Sting threw the ball in the basket's direction. Natsu narrowed his eyes and followed his movement. He jumped himself. The ball slipped on his fingers, still going to the basket. However, it was clear it was not gonna reach it.

**7 seconds.**

Loke frowned, but his brows ceased immediately. _Oh well, there's no solution to the problem. Sorry, Lucy, but it's my win._

Lucy sighed in defeat and slumped on her seat. _A_ foul, damn it. __The ball hit the hoop and went out.

**4 seconds.**

Fairy Tail was about to scream in relief when a figure suddenly turned up in the air.

Rogue hit the ball and it went back to the basket.

"What?" – Lucy stood up.

**1 seconds.**

*Tink* 35 goals to 34 for Sabertooth.

**0 seconds. Time's up.**

The stand was quiet for a moment.

Sabertooth won.

Suddenly, the B stand broke out in loud cheers.

"YEEAAHHHH!" – Sting and his team rushed at Rogue and picked him up. Rogue smiled widely and the crowd went crazy.

"SABERTOOTH! SABERTOOTH! SABERTOOTH! SABERTOOTH!" – They screamed and jumped and laughed, some of them even cried.

_Too dramatic. _Lucy thought. She looked at the court and grinned, shaking her head at her friends and boyfriend.

"Unbelievable." – Gray sighed, scratching his head. He looked at his team and they were all panting slightly.

"Tsk." – Gajeel grunted and mumbled something under his breath. Natsu stood at one place, motionless for a minute, and Gray almost laughed out loud at his face. After regaining his composure, Natsu laughed, too. Gray raised a brow, he thought Pinky would throw a tantrum in the middle of the court, but seemed like the guy handled it pretty well.

"Well, that was fun." – He said.

"You're not mad?" – Jet asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Why should I? It's not like we suck. They just got lucky." – He grinned and his friends chuckled. He was a really optimistic guy.

"You guys were excellent. I can't wait until the real competition happens." – Natsu exclaimed and they all nodded, regaining their determination real fast. Fairy Tail team then made their way to Sabertooth. The Tigers turned their heads to look at their rivals. They won, but of course Fairy Tail surely didn't make it a tad easy.

"Not bad, Sting." – Natsu smirked. – "It was a nice match."

Sting looked at him, blinking. And in a flash, Rogue was able to detect something in his friend's eyes which he had never seen when Sting and Natsu communicated: No cockiness or arrogance, just pure pride and admiration.

Sting nodded in a silent "Thank you".

"I'm looking forward to the real match and believe me, it's not going to be easy like this again." – He smirked and Sting returned the expression. _I'm looking forward to it. _He thought.

Rogue glanced at Gajeel and caught his eyes. He gave him a small nod. Rogue smiled.

He then looked at the A stand to look for someone. Members from Fairy Tail guilds went to the ground to join their team, including Lucy.

Lucy quickly pushed Loke out of her mind when she made her way where her classmates were standing.

"That was so cool, Gajeel." – Levy squealed and hugged her boyfriend.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." – He rolled his eyes, but hugged her back anyway. Lucy pulled Natsu and Gray into a bear hug, ignoring a tingling sensation behind her back.

"You guys were so great, that was quite a performance." – She grinned.

"Yeah, you all did great. It doesn't matter if you didn't win." – Erza nodded her head, glancing at Jellal. He gave her a warm smile, making her blush.

"Even so, I still think we could do better than that. We're gonna have our revenge at the real match!" – Natsu said, full of determination. Although they didn't win, they all still had fun and that was all that mattered. There was no doubt that Sabertooth had progressed a lot. Lucy looked at her friends chatting, bickering, and laughing with each other. Suddenly, Natsu glanced at Lucy.

"You should go." – Natsu said, grinning at her. Lucy snapped out of her thought.

"Huh?" – She blinked at him.

"Go to them…" – He jerked his head at where members of Sabertooth were standing. – "I know you want to congratulate your friends, they deserve that."

Lucy stared at him, but he just kept grinning with his toothy grin at her. She looked around and her friends nodded their head. She giggled. – "Thanks, guys." – Seemed like they were no longer showing their hostile towards Sting and Rouge, that made her feel more than happy.

Lucy rushed at her friends, Natsu's eyes followed her to the away ground. Gray stared at him.

"You like her, don't you?" – He asked quietly. Natsu looked back at him and arched a brow.

"She's one of my best friends. Of course I like her."

Gray snorted. - "You know what I mean."

Natsu rolled his eyes. – "Whatever." – He gave Lucy one last look before turning around. A stinging feeling crept through his heart, but he shook his head to clear his mind. Gray caught his eyes and ruffed his head, his face blushed slightly. Natsu gave him a weird look, his face crunched in confusion and he gave Gray a punch right in the nose, taking him off guard.

"Why, you son of a… What the hell IS WRONG WITH YOU?" – Gray held his bleeding nose and shouted. He was trying to console the idiot and he paid him back with a punch?

Natsu blinked. – "I thought you were sick." – He said innocently.

A vein popped on Gray's forehead and he gritted his teeth. – "You fucking idiot, you want a fight or something?"

Natsu glared at him. – "Oh hell-to-the yes."

"Flamebrain."

"Popsicle."

"Pinky!"

"Stripper!"

And the list went on as they started wrestling, unable to see a deadly aura which was emitting from Erza. Juvia was crying something about Natsu hurting Gray-sama.

"It's good to see them full of energy again, ne?" – Levy giggled. Her arms hooked around Gajeel's.

He shook his head. – "A bunch of idiots." – He looked over Natsu's shoulder and saw Rogue was smiling slightly at Lucy.

_We'll face again, Rogue. _He smirked.

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><p>Lucy rushed at Rogue and attacked him with a bear hug, almost making him lose his balance. He laughed lightly at her.<p>

"Oh my God, Rogue. You're so great!" – She squeaked and kissed him hard on the cheek. Rogue blushed slightly and picked her up, spinning her around. Lucy then noticed the first-aid bandage on his face.

"Wait, what happened to your face?" - She scowled, touching his wound delicately.

"Yukino caused it, he pissed her off." - Mamura answered before Rogue got the chance to open his mouth. He glared at him.

"What?"

"It's nothing, just a misunderstanding. I'm fine." - He assured her.

Lucy nodded. - "Okay, if you say so." - She smiled at him again.

"Hey! What about me?" – Sting whined, not minding his friends seeing him acting childishly. She giggled and wriggled herself out from Rogue's arms to hug him.

"You're great, too." – She said quietly, kissing his nose. He smiled gently, tightening his hold around her waist. Rogue slightly looked away.

"Aww, what about us? Lucyyy~" – Other members of the team said, pouting and giving her puppy eyes. Although the look didn't suit them at all, especially Orga. Lucy snickered.

"Okay, come here." – She stretched out her arms and they dashed at her. But before even one of them could touch her, Sting moved to stand in front of her, blocking their way.

"Don't even think about it." – He grunted..

"You're so mean." – Rufus said, pretending to be sobbing. Lucy chuckled and shook her head.

"Anyway, are you guys gonna celebrate or something?" – She asked.

"Yeah, we should definitely throw a party. It's the first time we won against them." – Mamura suggested excitedly and they all nodded eagerly.

"Great! Tonight, 6PM, my place." – Rufus announced.

Lucy smiled. He then looked at her expectedly, making his friends also turn to look at her. Lucy blinked.

"Oh! No, sorry I can't, I have a follow-up examination with my mother's private doctor." - She said. Sting blinked, then nodded.

"Oh, that's okay. You're still recovering anyway. Although it will be more fun if you can come." – Sting pouted playfully at her. Lucy thought for a moment.

"I'll try to stop by a little. I'm sure mom will let me." - She grinned.

"Cool. See you tonight." – They said, leaving her to Rogue and Sting. The trio also stepped out of the court, since Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel were about to compete in any minute.

After washing their faces and drying their bodies, three of them went to the canteen.

"C'mon, let's go get something to eat. I'm hungry." – Rogue said, grabbing her hand. Sting quickly followed them.

By the time they finished their meals, it was already noon. The atmosphere couldn't be any better, three of them were all content. Although, Lucy couldn't help but feeling she had forgotten something. Something that was kinda important.

After that, the trio stayed at school to watch different sports like fencing or swimming. It was quite interesting, Erza won after she beat Kagura Mikazuchi in fencing. In swimming, Juvia won the gold medal… Boxing, athletic, badminton, ping-pong, and other sports would take place next day as well as the day after. The last day would be the real match of basketball. Four guilds would compete among one another. There was no doubt that the finalists would be Sabertooth and Fairy Tail again. They would surely crush those Unicorns and Mermaids.

Lucy wondered why members of Mermaids could take part in, because clearly… They were all females. Sting told her that at first, Mermaid Heel couldn't join. But after a long fight about "feminism" and "gender equality", Masters had finally given in. The rival they had ever managed to defeat was, of course, Blue Pegasus. That guild was full of idiots anyway. Lucy snickered, the Sport Congress was absolutely interesting. Now that Sting had finally obtained what he always wanted: gain a victory over Fairy Tail; Lucy's support to her guilds could come back. She couldn't wait to the next match.

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><p><strong>[Heartfilia's mansion]<strong>

The nurse gently took off the bandage around her left hand and shoulder. The wounds had closed, but the doctor didn't want to risk it opening again, so he said that she could limit any kind of thread in another week. He also said that her recovering progress was pretty good. She just needed to keep taking medicine at a set time so she could be fully recover sooner. Layla let out a relieved sigh, she smiled at her daughter. Everything was getting better.

"Mom?" – Lucy called after the doctor and the nurse had left.

"Yes, honey?" – Layla turned to look at her.

"Can I stop by Rufus' house, Sting's friend, a little bit? They're throwing a party there. I'm not gonna attend or anything, I just want to see them and talk. Is that okay?" – She asked.

"Sure, no problem. But no alcohol, okay? And be home soon." – She told her daughter, kissing her forehead.

"Thanks, mom." – Lucy beamed. Layla took a tray with tea and walked out of the room.

When Layla was gone, Lucy rushed to her closet to pull out a rosy sleeveless blouse, white denim short skirt, and black Oxford high heels. She let her hair down, putting on some mascara and lip gloss. She wanted to look cute, but not overdressed.

_Since when did I start to dress up for that idiot? _Lucy asked herself and chuckled.

_Whatever… _She ran outside and saw that the silver Chevrolet of her mother was waiting. As soon as her skin made contact with the cold air, she immediately regretted her choice of clothes. _Well, too late now. _She shrugged and got in the car.

"Hey Scorpio, could you please take me at this address?" – She said, handing him her phone. Sting had sent her Rufus' address when she got home.

"Hai, Lucy-sama." – Scorpio nodded and started the engine.

* * *

><p><strong>[Rufus' party]<strong>

"I can't believe he didn't come. That cold freak." – Sting grunted again. Not all too surprisingly, Rogue didn't come.

"He's the star of the party and he didn't come!" – He threw his arms in the air. Sting had used every trick, trying to lure him with everything he got, but the guy didn't budge. He exclaimed that he had homework to do. Sting rolled his eyes.

"Really? What a shame." – Rufus said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, he'll miss a lot of fun." – Orga spoke.

"I agree. Although, I'll say that maybe it's not too bad for him that he stayed at home." – Rufus chuckled.

"Why?" – Sting asked.

"Because his ears won't be tortured by Orga's singing voice." – He said and Sting chuckled.

"Hey!"- Orga smacked his head, but he dodge it. The big guy's hand landed on another guy's head standing next to the long-hair guy. Sting and Rufus busted out laughing.

"Anyway, I wonder when will Lucy come?" – Sting checked the time again. The party started half an hour ago.

"Don't worry, she'll come. I'll go get a drink, want some?" – Rufus asked and two of them nodded.

* * *

><p>The car stopped in front of Rufus' house. It was big, but not as big as Lucy's (of course). She told Scorpio to park somewhere and she would call him when she was about to leave.<p>

Lucy started to walk in. The bass from the music beat loudly, the vibrations focusing in her ears and chest. Lucy looked around and smiled in amusement. It was crazy inside, people shouted, they yelled, they fought, they made out, they flirted, they laughed… They could make another perfect Fairy Tail. The only difference between them and Fairy Tail was: they were crazy when they were on a party, however, Fairy Tail members were crazy everywhere they went. Lucy snickered at her thought.

"Ooooh~ A princess, are you lost or something, doll?" – A guy, probably a freshman, gave her a whistle.

She rolled her eyes at him and just kept walking.

"Hey, it's not very polite to ignore someone talking to you like that, ya know?" – He leered and started walking backward before her.

She paid him no attention, she just wanted to find Sting and Rogue as quickly as possible. The guy just kept talking and she just kept silent.

He got annoyed after a while. – "Hey, I'm talking to you." – He scowled, extending his hand to grab her arm. Yet, someone's hand prevented him from doing so.

"What the …" – He spun around and saw Rufus stared at him coldly. His grip tightened and the guy winced.

"Ru-Rufus-senpai?"

"She's Sting's best friend and your senpai. Touch her and I'll cut off your hand." – He said, unsmiling.

Rufus was bringing some drink back to his friends when he saw this guy harassing Lucy. He knew how important Lucy was to his friends. She was their friend meaning she was his friend, too.

"H-Hai." – The guy stammered. Rufus shoved him out of his way and moved to greet Lucy.

"Good evening, Lucy."- He smiled.

"Good evening, Rufus… Great party." – She said teasingly.

He chuckled. - "Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's okay." – She shrugged.

"You're looking for Sting, right?" – He inquired. She nodded.

"Very well, follow me." – He led her through the crowd to where Sting and Orga were standing. They both knew they probably shouldn't say anything about the incidence.

"Lucy!" – Sting's lit up when he saw her.

"Hey, idiot. Having fun?" – She smiled at him, nodding as a greeting at Orga. He waved at her.

"Not really, Rogue didn't come." – He grumbled.

"What? Why?" – Lucy frowned.

"I don't know. He just didn't want to come, he's staying home doing homework or something."

"Oh." – Lucy mumbled. _Maybe I should stop by their house later. _She nodded to herself.

"It's too loud to talk in here, let's go outside." – Sting said loudly through the music.

She waved to Rufus and Orga, then followed him to the backyard. They sat on a swing near a rock-garden, Sting used his legs to push it back and forth.

Silence.

An awkward silence embraced them both.

The cold air licked her skin and Lucy unconsciously shuddered. Sting stole a glance at her, immediately taking off his leather jacket to wrap it around her.

"You wear that kind of clothes in the weather like this." – He complained.

Lucy glared at him, she unwrapped the jacket and threw it on his head. Sting pulled it down and glared back at her. He sighed in defeat.

"You look cute, but I don't want you to catch a cold. So don't be such a brat and put it on already." – He wrapped it around her again.

_Jerk. _She pouted.

Silence, again….

_Gosh, this is awkward. Somebody help me! _Lucy screamed in her head.

"Are you okay?" – Lucy jumped when he suddenly asked. This time, he had a small smile on his face expressing his amusement.

"Eh… Fine, I guess. Why?" – She tilted her head.

"Because you're having the look of "Somebody help me" on your face." – He chuckled.

Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly adverted her eyes on the ground, starting to blush. Why did he have to know her so well. Sting smiled gently at her.

Lucy almost flinched when she felt something warm on her left hand which was lying beside her thigh. She blushed even harder when she realized it was Sting's hand. Lucy turned up her palm to interlace her fingers with him. Her face was red like a ripped tomato. Sting looked the other way, his left hand was busy covering his hot cheeks.

_What the hell is wrong with me? _They both thought. The duo didn't even know why they were blushing like this. They held hands all the time, but this time, there was something different. After a few minutes which felt like eternity to them, Sting managed to murmur.

"This is embarrassing."

"Definitely." – Lucy nodded eagerly.

Finally, after gathering all his strength and clearing his throat several times, Sting opened his mouth. – "So… What…are…we…now?" – He asked slowly.

Lucy shrugged. – "I don't know. Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Sting looked at the sky, contemplating the sound of it.

"It sounds weird, right?" – She said.

Sting mimicked her early gesture, nodding eagerly. – "Yep, absolutely." – Lucy snickered.

Who would have thought that someday she would fall for her best friend. But then again, Lucy once read on a weekly magazine that between male and female, there would never be something call "best friends". It was only a matter of time before one of them would start to develop feelings for the other. She had rolled her eyes and called it stupid, and yet, look at where she was then. Lucy thought that their friendship would never change and she hoped that it would never have to. But, now she was standing on a three-way crossroad and the way she took would change their lives forever. It didn't matter, though. She accepted to take the risk, didn't she?

"I think we should just call it an improved relationship, right? – She suggested.

"Yeah, the whole boyfriend and girlfriend thing sound sappy." – He chuckled and Lucy grinned.

The tension had disappeared and they relaxed again. She rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, but didn't break their hands-holding.

"Can I ask you something, Sting?" – Lucy asked quietly, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth emitting from his body, blending with the cold wind. Sting hummed in response.

"Since when have you known that you have feelings for me?" – Sting smiled at her question.

"A long time ago, I guess. I just woke up in a random morning and I realized that I somehow had developed some special feelings for my best friend." – He answered, kissing her hair. Lucy giggled and a sudden realization hit her. _A long time ago? Ahhh, so the girl he talked about was me. No wonder all the girls he dated has blonde hair and brown eyes. And here I thought that he wanted to date someone looking like him with that hair, but couldn't find someone having his eyes color so he accepted the girls with brown eyes. _Lucy laughed lightly at her stupidity. _Hey, I remembered another thing again!_

Sting looked down at her face. - "What's so funny?"

Lucy shook her head, her hair tickling Sting's face. – "Nothing, just thinking." – He smiled gently and picked her up, placing her on his lap and wrapping his whole body around her. She let out a content sigh. _Warm…_

"Sting?" – She called him again.

"Hm…?" – His name resounding from her lips made him feel easy. Eyes closing, he put his head on the crook of her neck.

"Can you promise me something?" – She asked and felt he nodded his head against her skin.

"If things _don't_ work out between us, can you still be my friend?" – Lucy mumbled with sadness filling her tone.

Being near him was enough, even if she could no longer be the one that made him happy. Seeing him with another girl or smile at another one would be painful, she knew it. But he was precious to her, she couldn't bear losing the sight of him. So for her own sake, she would endure it. If…things between them couldn't be like this in the future.

"Friend?" – Sting asked, not looking up.

His heart ached at the possibility, he didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to think about it.

_You mean letting you go, watching you fall in love with another man or touch him like you touched me?__ He sighed quietly._

_No, Lucy, I can't, because I will definitely go crazy if I'd have to see it. __He inhaled her scent, calming his own mind._

_If things _didn't _work out between us, I could never be your friend again. _

But, he would never let it happen, he had her and he would fight for her. Just… Let him give her a promise he could never fulfill, for once.

"Yes, I promise." – He answered quietly. Lucy smiled, she touched his arms.

_Fight for me, Lucy. And I'll fight for both of us._

"I love you." – He whispered, his breath tickling her skin.

"What?"- She heared him said something dimly in the wind, but she couldn't catch it.

"Nothing." – He smiled.

Two of them sat there, enjoying the new sensation. It was strange, yet familiar at the same time.

"Hey, Luce… Wanna go on date with me?" – Sting asked out of the blue, kissing her neck.

"A date?" – Lucy unconsciously tilted her head aside, giving him more access.

"Yeah, a date." – He mumbled.

"A date?" – She asked again.

The word brought back something she thought she had forgotten. Sting knitted his brows slightly. – "Yeah?"

A date.

A date?

A DATE!

"LOKE!" – Lucy screeched and suddenly stood up. Sting jumped at her outburst.

"What?" – He frowned. What did Loke have anything to do with them now?

"That bastard dared to draw back from his word?" – Lucy pulled out her phone to call her father. Loke had disappeared from her mind the moment Sabertooth won.

Sting quickly snatched her Iphone from her hand.

"Woa… Easy there. What's wrong?" – He gave her a look of confusion. Lucy sighed and sat back on his lap.

"He came to watch you play this morning, remember? And we kinda made a bet."

"A bet?"

"Yeah, we agreed that once Fairy Tail won, I would have to go on a date with him and kiss him in front all of my friends, meaning including you and Rogue." – She said nonchalantly, making Sting's jaw drop.

"WHAT? Are you fucking kidding me? What if we didn't win?" – He almost yelled, pinching her cheeks.

"Ow, ow, ow… Let go, stupid." – She slapped his hands. – "You won, right? So let it go." – She glared.

"But-"

"Let-it-go." – She bumped her head against his chin.

"Shit!" – He grumbled in pain. – "You're too violent." – Lucy shrugged, sticking her tongue out at him.

"So, what will he do, seeing that we won?" – He asked, sighing.

She laughed lightly, thinking about Loke wearing a bikini while holding a board with a big "I'm gay" on it. Sting raised his brows.

"It's a secret. You'll know when you see it." – She put her index finger on her lips.

"Aw, c'mon, tell meeeee~" – He whined. Lucy giggled.

"Nope, sorry." – She turned her head half way to give him a kiss on the lips as an apology.

Sting sighed again. - "Fine." – He hoped that it was not something too bad.

"Anyway, how about next Friday? I'll take you to anywhere you want to go." – He grinned.

"You'll still take me anywhere I want to go even if we're not on a date." – Lucy said casually.

That was how their relationship always worked. She would get anything she wanted from him and he would do anything to give it to her.

"Whatever, do you want to go or not?" – He said, not wanting to argue with her any further.

"Sure. But where will we go?"

"It's a secret, I'll tell you later." – He smirked. To be honest, he didn't know yet.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway.

"Oh and one more thing…" – Sting said. Lucy titled her head to look at him.

"Don't tell anyone about us, even Rogue, okay?"– She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why?"

"I have my reasons. And believe me, there's nothing I want more than tell the world that you're with me. But let's keep it a secret, just temporary, okay?" – He said gently. Lucy bit her lips.

"Okay." – She nodded. She trusted him so she was not gonna question his request.

"Thank you." – He mumbled.

Two of them simply stayed in each other's arms, enjoying the other's company, they talked about everything and nothing at the same time. Sometimes their conversation didn't go anywhere, just around some silly things. But it was fun and relaxing.

She called Scorpio to pick her up when it was around 8. Sting walked her to the front yard where her driver was waiting for her.

"Good night, Stingy." – She grinned, using his old nickname, then stood on her tip-toes and gave him a long kiss. She slightly pulled back, but Sting wouldn't let her. He pulled her closer, one arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand pressed against the nape of her neck. He kissed her twice, including this one and he was already addicted to it. He felt her grin and before he knew it, she smacked the side of his neck.

"Ow! What was that for? I swear you're too violent, it should be illegal." – He grumbled after releasing her lips, but keeping his arms around her.

"I have to do it or you'll never let me go." – She giggled. – "See you tomorrow." – She pecked his cheek and ran to her car before he could react.

"Bye, Blondie." – He waved, smiling. He walked back inside after the car had gone, thinking about Rogue.

* * *

><p><strong>[Weisslogia's house]<strong>

Lucy stood in front of the door of Weisslogia's house. She had asked Scorpio to bring her here. Scorpio knew that Jude-sama wouldn't be very pleased if he knew she was here, visiting the house of someone he had forbidden her to see. Lucy knew that, too. But she didn't say anything, implying that she would either listen to him or not. She would just do what she wanted to do.

Lucy stepped into the front yard and nostalgia flooded her whole body. She must have spent so much time here. She pulled Sting's jacket tighter, he said that she should keep it and just return it to him tomorrow. Lucy took a deep breath and his scent filled her nostrils, calming her nerves. Her heels clicking on the courtyard, the atmosphere was as quiet as the grave.

Pushing the door open, she walked in. She didn't feel like knocking.

Lucy walked pass the living-room and moved to the kitchen when she didn't see anyone. She somehow knew exactly what room was. Lucy walked upstairs because no one was down here.

The house had two floors, the first floor had three rooms which were Rogue's and Sting's. She knew as much, because since they had their names on it. The third room was the laundry room. Lucy guessed that their father's room must be on the second floor. She saw the light under the edge of the door of Rogue's room. Her bare foot made soundless noise on the floor as she approached it slowly. She opened the door, trying hard not to make any noise in case he was concentrating on something. Lucy peeked in, his room covered mostly in black. She smiled. That was so…Rogue. His study desk was on the right side of the room while the bathroom was on the left. His bed stood opposite of the door. Rogue was sitting on his bed, using his arms as props and looking of his windows, deep in thought. Lucy smirked mischievously. She moved toward his back, using her cold hands to touch his bare arms.

"Hello, Rogue." – She whispered and he jumped out of his skin. His face twisted in horror. Lucy busted out laughing, his face was priceless. Rogue let out a relived sigh when he was her.

"You… should… have… seen your… face." – She said between giggles.

Rogue tried to scowl at her, but failed to do so when he heard her laugh.

"You wanted me to die on a heart attack or something?" – He scolded slightly, pulling her arm to make her sit on the bed with him.

"Sorry." - Lucy snickered.

She calmed down and noticed he was staring intently at her. His red eyes were piercing through her soul, seeking for something. She stared back and tilted her head aside after a minute.

"What?" – She smiled.

"Nothing." – Rogue shook his head.

Was that just him or she was more gorgeous every minute he looked at her face?

"Why are you here?" – He asked quietly.

Lucy pouted. – "Do I have to have a reason to see my friend?" – She asked.

Lucy blinked when she noticed his frown as if he was hurt.

_Friend… _He inwardly sighed.

Lucy knitted her brows slightly. - "Something's wrong? Why didn't you come to the party? Are you sick?"

She leaned in to touch his forehead, checking his temperature. He shook his head and took her cold hand inside his warm palm. It was like ice and fire had met each other.

"I didn't feel like coming." – He said quietly.

His team won and of course he felt happy, but the feeling didn't last long. After he went home, he began to feel uncomfortable. There were some nagging feelings that kept bothering his mind. Rogue released her hand and laid down on his bed, one hand behind his nape. Lucy followed his movement and rested her cheek on his chest, facing him. He stroked her hair smoothly. Rogue was glad to see her.

"I want to see you so I came after talking to Sting. Where's your father?" – She asked.

"He's having an assignment in Seven. He'll be back in a couple of days." – He answered swiftly, closing his eyes.

Lucy looked at him and touched the scratch on his face which was still red. _Damn that girl for ruining his handsome face. _She thought, frowning. Her face stretched when she realized what she just thought_. _She unconsciously giggled.

"What?" – He asked, smiling as he heard her twitter.

"Nothing." – She smiled when he looked down at her. He gazed at her again, then sat up. Her head fell on his lap.

"You're acting differently, you know?" – He said, his fingers brushed against her cheek intimately.

"How so?" – She smiled again. His warmth touched her eyelid and she closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh. She felt in peace.

"I feel like you're the old Lucy again, the one before you has an amnesia." – He mumbled.

Lucy just hummed, her smile never left her face. She didn't mind when he mentioned her old self. – "Really?"

He nodded, but realized that she didn't see him. – "That's not something Lucy of yesterday would ask, wouldn't she?" – Lucy of yesterday would lose her composure when someone compared her with her old self.

"But I'm not Lucy of yesterday, right? I'm Lucy of today." – She murmured, suddenly feeling sleepy.

"Yeah…" – He said. _That's why it's strange. - _"Did something happen between you and Sting?"

Lucy unconsciously held her breath and it didn't go unnoticed by Rogue.

She knew he was asking about the night when they made up. – "No, why?" – She felt bad for lying him, but she promised Sting that she wouldn't tell.

"Nothing." – He breathed, smiling a sad smile. _She's hiding something from me._ Lucy never hid something from him, excepted her true feelings, not that he couldn't read them.

His tone made her eyes snap open and her brown orbs met his red ones. He was staring at her again. She looked closely into his eyes and her heart almost break when she saw too much lonesomeness and sorrow in them. She suddenly felt guilty for something. For lying to him? She didn't know.

She slowly sat up and kissed his cheek slightly, burying her face on the crook of his neck.

"Can I stay here tonight?" – She whispered.

Rogue hugged her, putting his arms around her waist. His thought trailed back to Sting and he tightened his hold on her.

"Okay."

**End of chapter 17**

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><p><strong><strong><strong>A long StiCy moment, not much RoLu in this chapter, though. Things are just getting started XD You'll see more of them in the next chapter. Sorry if I disappointed you, RoLu fans :P<strong>****

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><p><strong>My gratitude to those who had reviewed: <strong>Rolulove4ever (Now you know XD), guest<strong>**

**DarqueDeth4444: I don't know if I should, I feel kinda bad for him :)) **

**zin-chan-luvs-u: =)) You're weird, but "good" weird XD You're review was funny, as always. You'll find out soon, dear ^^~.**

**Shouko Heart: =)) Banana? *point up* you should be friend zin-chan-luvs-u :)) You two are funny.  
><strong>

**NatashAurel: I wish they were canon :'( Well, not much RoLu in this chapter, but next chapter I guess XD. Thank you for review, RiMika shipper =))**

**mmkrinkuta 161: Aw, thank you! *cry***

**Petra: OMG, another RiMika shipper *hugs x1000* Thank you so much! I'm wondering if I should humiliate him like that :)) Poor guy. **

**Mandy 422: Don't worry, it's fine ^^~ I love reading long comment XD I'm sure Rogue will be more active in the next chapter. **

**I'm . such . a . geek: Thank you so much ^^~ Here's your new chapter.**

**Thank you you guys so much! I'm so happy to read all of your reviews.**

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><p><strong>Bye~ I'll see you next time.<br>**

**PS: The last two new chapters of Fairy Tail were awesome! I cried a lot when Aquarius disappeared :(( GO, LUCY! I LOVE YOU!**


	18. Chapter 18 - You and me

**Hi! It's Merikatori again ^^~**

**I bring you new chapter :D Thanks for reading, following, making it your favorite story, and reviewing :D I put my reply at the end of the chapter.**

**Special thanks to my beta - Iza - she's rock ^^~**

**A/N: I'm not sure if I could bring you another chapter in June or not, I have to study because I'm about to go to college, no matter how lazy I am XD. So probably I won't update until July. I'll try, but no promise :D**

**Anyway, enjoy ^^~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 18 - You and me**

Sting unlocked the door and nearly stumbled on his step for his vision was blurred because of alcohol. He didn't drink so much that he couldn't make out the Oxford high heels on the platform. He thought that Lucy had gone home so why were her heels still here? He frowned.

_Lucy hasn't come home yet?_

He glanced at his watch, it was already over 12AM.

Sting took off his shoes and went upstairs. He felt sleepy and just wanted to go back to his bed as soon as possible. However, when he was about to go in his room, Sting looked over at Rogue's room.

_Lucy's in there?_

He approached it slowly and knocked softly. There was no answer. Still, Sting opened the door gently, stepping in and staring at two laying figures in front of his eyes.

Lucy was sleeping contentedly, her head was resting on Rogue's chest and her arm was hugging his stomach. Rogue, with his eyes closed, put an arm securely around her waist. The windows were opened and the moonlight flooded in, embracing them both dimly, but brightly enough to expose their peaceful faces to Sting.

Sting unconsciously clenched his fists and a tingling feeling tugged his heart. He stared at Rogue, long and hard, like he was waiting for something. After a minute, Sting raked his hair and let out a long sigh.

_I'm being ridiculous._

He walked towards them, closing the windows to avoid them catching a cold because of the wind, then pulled the blanket to cover Lucy's entire body. He laid a kiss on her hair and looked at Rogue again.

He nodded at no one in particular and started walking out, as silently as he walked in.

"Good night." – He said.

As soon as the door closed behind the blonde, Rogue's eyes opened.

* * *

><p><strong>[Friday – Weisslogia's house – 3PM]<strong>

"Sting Eucliffe, please tell me that you're kidding or else I will kill you this instant." – Lucy glared at Sting who was sitting next to her on the couch, munching a piece of pizza.

He blinked at her and grinned (almost) innocently, but didn't answer.

"Well?" – She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm serious. So in order that you won't kill me... I think I'll keep my mouth shut." – He nodded at himself.

A vein popped on her forehead and she wanted nothing more than choke him to death right at that moment.

"You call this a date?" – She asked, her voice lowered to a dangerous tone.

Sting carefully swallowed his food and a lump that had formed in his throat. - "Wait… Before you jump into any conclusion, please hear me out."

Lucy folded her arms, waiting for him to continue.

Lucy, how do you imagine a date?" – He turned his body halfway to face her.

Lucy knitted her brows together to think and figure out what he was trying to get at.

"I don't know. I thought that you would take me to a theme park, or for a dinner, or on a movie, or something…" – She shrugged.

"Right, how do you call a date like that?" – He asked again.

She frowned. - "How do I call a date like that? A... normal date?" – She hesitated.

"Exactly…" – Sting nodded. "A normal date… There's nothing special about it if we just do the ordinary things like that, right? So, to make it more special, we should just do the ordinary things that people usually don't do on a date." – Sting said casually and Lucy's jaw dropped.

Was he really serious? What kind of explanation was that? Lucy looked at him like he was an alien and he showed her an euphoric smile like he was a genius.

Lucy's expression turned back to normal… Well, not exactly normal. It turned to the kind of face people made when they wanted to kill someone.

His lips stretched, but his smile immediately faded when he saw Lucy slowly approaching him with a murder intention in her eyes. He gulped harder and slowly backed away from her.

"Wa-Wait, Lucy… I mean… It's not… I mean… GAAAHHHH!" – He quickly scrammed when she started chasing him with a broom appearing in her hands out of nowhere…

It had been a week since The Sport Congress. The real match between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail had been really intense. Although Sabertooth'd been rather confident, they couldn't beat Fairy Tail twice. The final score had been 36 goals to 38. Once again, the winner of the most fascinating sport in Fiore'd been Fairy Tail. Despite losing, Sabertooth hadn't hold any grudge against their rival. It was their last year and they had finally admitted that their opponent was simply excellent. The other sports had gone on smoothly and the Sport Congress' curtain had gone down with most of the gold medals in possession of Fairy Tail. Sabertooth had taken the second place, Blue Pegasus'd been the third, and the last one had been Mermaid Heel...

"Lucy, listen to me! Please, STOP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" - Sting was barely able to dodge her broom as she kept trying to hit him with her weapon.

A week had passed calmly after that event. The relationship of Sting and Lucy worked perfectly, considering that they always found something in each other to their taste. They spent more and more time together. However, from the outside, their friends could hardly find any difference in their relationship. Because in their eyes, the two of them always acted like an item already.

Yet, if they took a closer look, they would be able to realize that their eyes seemed to linger on each other longer than normal and there was a softer tone in them. What's more, they held hands more often and they exchanged those innocent kisses with increased frequency.

"Okay, Lucy, you're the person who hates violence, right? So stop being so violent with ME! - Sting shouted, then ran to the bathroom on the first floor which had a shortcut to the laundry.

He hid behind the big washing machine.

Sting heard her footstep outside the corridor and held his breath. The male didn't hear anything for a while so he sighed in relief. Yet, he knew that he couldn't hide in here forever. Sting quietly made his way to the door, hoping that he could have the chance to escape the house safely by running fast enough to the front door. He held his breath again and turned the knock, peeking through the chink...

"Hi, honey!" - Lucy smiled brightly on the other side of the door.

"KYAAAA" - Eyes widened in horror, Sting tried to close the door, but Lucy was faster; she used her whole body to push the door open.

The young girl was the perfect example when people said that you should never piss off a woman, because she could be strong like a buffalo when she was angry.

Sting ran to the bathroom since the laundry room had just been occupied by his _lovely girlfriend._ Lucy quickly followed him and he opened the door to made it to the corridor again... _Wait, I remember having a backup plan... _He thought.

"You said that you would take me on a date, you made me spend hours rummaging through my closet to find a perfect dress, and then you told me that our "special date" would be just like an "ordinary day"? I would be damn if I let you get away with THIS!" – Lucy yelled and dashed at him with the broom in her hands.

Sting let out a scream which was not very manly and quickly ran to his room to hide from her rage.

Well… Maybe that day was not a very good day for Lucy, but a date with Sting like a normal couple was something she had looked forward to for a whole week. But then, when that day came, Sting just _had to_ bring her back to his home and decided that they should just stay in the living room, watching movie, eating pizza or something, and that was enough to make a date "special".

It went without saying, Lucy was pissed off to the point that she just wanted to cry while hitting him senselessly.

Lucy slammed the door open and looked around to find her "boyfriend", who was grinning from ear to ear, standing on the other side of his bed. Lucy glared at him again and was about to brandish the broom to hit him, but Sting halted her by presenting to her a small creature from behind his back.

Lucy froze, looked at it, and blinked for 5 seconds, then dropped the broom.

"KYAAAA! Oh my God, it's so cuteeeeee!" – She squeaked and quickly cuddled the little bunny in her arms.

She pet its ears and the bunny crunched his nose, looking at her with its big, black eyes. Lucy nearly melted at the very sight of it.

Sting chuckled. He knew that she would be mad once he told her about his "ideal date", so he made it up for her with something he knew that she would like.

Lucy continued to stroke the cute animal before she felt Sting's eyes on her. She looked up and he smiled dearly at her. Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"Still, it doesn't mean that you could get away with this date." – She huffed.

"Of course…" – He snickered.

A comfortable silence settled in and it was not until Lucy looked around again that she realized she was in his room.

It was not until Lucy looked around again that she realized she was in his room. Nostalgia invaded her insides again and she tried to ignore the tingling sensation that slowly crept its way to her hand and shoulder. The doctor had cut the threat of her wound yesterday. They left pretty deep scars on certain parts of her arm.

Suddenly, Lucy heard screaming in her head and a hollow laugh from someone that she couldn't remember.

Sting's expression changed back into a serious one as he was watching his girlfriend carefully. It looked like she was deep in thought and he decided to let her mind wander a little. He saw the way her feet were slowly and carefully moving around his room, searching for something. Her eyes landed on his drawer and without hesitation, she pulled out the third till in which he kept his mother's remembrance. Her hand dipped inside and he knew she was touching his mother's locket. The day she fell out from the balcony, he had come back home the next morning to find the locket lying on the ground where some of her blood was still present.

He saw her shuddering and he wondered if she remembered anything.

"Luce?" – Sting asked. She didn't answer him, still looking at the locket.

"Lucy?" – He called louder this time; the girl turned to look at him and it took him everything not to scowled hard in worry at her blank eyes.

"Lucy, are you okay?" - He approached her, but she unconsciously took a step back.

The man gulped, his heart was beating like crazy in his chest. He knew that once she remembered everything, she would also recall what she had found out about his past. He was too worried about her well-being to care about it before. But now, when Lucy was in his room, facing him and looking like she was about to get back her memories, he started to feel scared.

"Lucy?" – Again, Sting repeated quietly.

Lucy blinked a couple of times at the gentleness in his voice. She focused her gaze on his face and warmth was once again in her eyes.

"Sorry, I was zoning out again. I thought that I had remembered something, but clearly it still needs some time for it to fully recover." – She said, petting the bunny again and giving her boyfriend a gentle smile.

For a whole minute, none of them talked or moved. Sting looked deep in her eyes and she looked back with the equal intensity as his.

"Are you…okay?" _Are you sure? _– He asked quietly, with hesitation lacing his tone.

Lucy titled her head and smiled again. - "Yes, I'm okay." – She said decisively, like she was reassuring him.

Sting's eyes softened, he rushed to her and pulled her in a tight hug. Lucy buried her face in his chest and patted his back slightly in a soothing way.

"Thank you." – He mumbled.

Lucy nodded slightly, she didn't need to ask him what was wrong.

Sting released her after a minute. He gazed at her face and she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. He smiled.

She looked around his room again. - "What day is it today?" – She asked nonchalantly and he blinked at her.

"14th." – He answered briefly.

Sting saw the way her eyes widened a bit before they came back to normal size. She nodded.

"Alright, since you're not going to take me anywhere on this "special date" today…" – She said and rolled her eyes, making Sting chuckle. – "I'm going home." – She shrugged.

He looked at her in mild surprise. – "What? Oh come one, it's Friday, spend time with me…" – He pulled her closer, planting feather kisses on her face.

Lucy giggled. - "I've already spent a whole week with you, remember? You'll survive." – She pushed his face away from her and quickly moved to the door.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." – Lucy smiled.

"Are you sure that you're just going home?" – He asked again, more specific this time. _Looks like I don't have to remind her about today.  
><em>

Her hand remained on the door knock when she looked back at him over her shoulder. He was staring at her with his hands in the pockets. His eyes held a mysterious glint that she couldn't read.

"Of…course." – She said.

Sting smirked. - "I can take you _there…" – _He folded his arms.

Lucy saw something crossed his eyes and she shook her head.

"Then why _didn't_ you do it in _the first place_? Why did you have to wait until now?" – She arched an eyebrow.

Sting chuckled. – "I have my reasons."

"You forgot, huh?" - She rolled her eyes.

Sting shrugged. - "Kinda... When I asked you out... And don't blame me, you was distracting me with your mouth and your tongue..." - He smirked.

Lucy pulled on a smirk to match his. - "Well, you know you liked it."

Sting chuckled. - "I do."

"You won't come?"

"Nahhh, not _this time." - _Sting murmured the last part while Lucy looked at him quizzically.

"All right..." - She smiled and nodded after a minute. Their conversation seemed off, but only two of them knew that it wasn't.

"C'mon, let's get you home first." – Sting put his arm around her shoulder, leading her out of his house to the backyard where his motorcycle was waiting.

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_Hai__, Layla-san… No, she's not drunk or anything. She just wants to stay here for tonight… Okay…" – Rogue hung up his phone, looking down at Lucy's face. Her head was on his lap again. She took the phone from his hand and started to play with it._

_"You're lucky that your father is so busy that he doesn't come home tonight, or you would be in trouble if he found out you're here." – He flicked her forehead. Lucy pouted._

_"Don't talk like you don't want me __to be__ here." – She mumbled. _

_Rogue just smiled and reached to the drawer to pull out a book. For a while, he was silently reading while stroking her hair. Lucy allowed herself to enjoy the peace which she hadn't felt for a while. She wondered if Sting was having fun._

_"Hey, how is your wound?" – Rogue asked, eyes still glued to the book. He remembered her mentioning the follow-up examination with her mother's private doctor. _

_"It's got better, very much. Seems like I'm recovering pretty fast." – She answered. He hummed in response. _Good to hear that.

_Lucy hadn't felt this good since she had woken up. It was funny that just one good event could erase all the bad incidents that happened before. _

_Lucy took a photo of herself and set it as his new wallpaper, his old one looked so boring. She opened his directory to take a peek. There weren't many names in it, since he was like an anti-social person sometimes. Talking about anti-social, Lucy pondered on why he was always quiet like this. Was that because of something that happened back then when he was still a child? Or was he … just like that? She wanted to ask, but it looked like he was concentrating on his book. His eyebrows knitted together, maybe in confusion. _

_Lucy gazed at his face; his hair were covering one of his eyes and she felt an urge to tug it back behind his ear. Lucy thought back at Sting and she wondered how Rogue would react when he found out about the two of them. Could it be the same among them? The question couldn't stop wandering in her head and she had to hold back a sigh._

_"What's wrong?" – Rogue asked._

_He could feel her eyes on his face and he wondered what was she thinking. His hand laid on her forehead, slowly brushing along her hair. _

_"Nothing…" – She answered and to stop him from pressing on the matter any further, she asked. - "Could you sing me a song?" – Lucy smiled when his eyes left the book to stared at her._

_"No." – He said casually. _

_Lucy frowned. - "Why?"_

_"Because I don't like it." – Came his reply.  
><em>

_"Why don't you like it?" – She asked again._

_"Singing is not my thing, you know that."_

_"I'm having an amnesia, of course I don't know that. And why?" – Lucy insisted, trying to work him up. _

_Rogue __sighed__. Seriously, if he were someone else, he probably would go crazy for being near this girl and listening to her questions all day long._

_"I just don't like it." – He replied, giving her a look._

_"Why?" _

_Rogue groaned. – "I don't know, okay?"_

_"Okay, but why?" – Lucy giggled when he closed his book to glare at her. _

_"Would you stop that?" _

_"Stop what?" – She looked at him innocently._

_"Stop asking why." _

_"Why?" – Lucy laughed and rolled out of his reach when he tried to pinch her cheeks._

_"Aw, __c'mon__, sing me a song and I'll leave you alone with your book." – She bargained. It was fun teasing him like this. _

_Rogue stared at her, contemplating his choice. Well… Better entertain her while she was here._

_"Fine, but…" – He halted to give her a firm look. – "Not a single noise, understand? I won't sing if you don't keep silent." – He said. _

_Lucy nodded eagerly. He cleared his throat several times and Lucy giggled at him. _

_"__Juuroku__ de __kimi__ to ai; __Hyakunen__ no koi wo shita __ne__; __Hirahira__ to __maiochiru__; __Sakura__ no __hanabira__ no shita de…" – He looked at their hands lacing with each other, avoiding her eyes._

_Lucy gaped at him while he was singing. His voice was a little small, but the atmosphere was quiet so she still could hear him clearly._

_"__Suki__ de shita __suki__ de shita; __Egao__sakisometa__kimi__ ga; __Boku__dake__ ga shite ita; __Migigawa__yawarakana__ ibasho…" – Rogue felt her eyes on his face and she was making him more and more self-conscious. He lowered his voice even more, but didn't dare to look up at her. She always did that and he always felt like this when he was singing her a song._

_"__Kimi__ to __boku__ to "__sakura__biyori__"; __Kaze__ ni __sotto__yomigaeru__; __Kimi__ mo __ima__dokoka__ de __miteru__ no __kanaa__; __Ano__ hi to __onaji__momo-iro__ no sora…" – He finished his song, waiting for her response. _

_When he didn't hear anything from her, he looked up and regretted his choice immediately._

_Rogue __sighed__, grabbing his book and began (more like __tried__) to read again. – "Go ahead…" – He grumbled.  
><em>

_And that was all Lucy needed before she busted out laughing. Her stomach hurt from holding it back when he was singing. His voice sounded like a drake with pitch in a jumble. Lucy didn't know how to describe it, but his singing voice was probably worse than __Orga's__, no matter how bad __Orga's__ singing ability was._

_"That's why I didn't want to sing in the first place, you're always laughing at me when I finish." – He grunted, trying to prevent her giggles from reaching his mind._

_"I'm… so… sorry. But…" – Lucy took a deep breath to calm down and grinned at him. – "Sorry, but… that was so hilarious…" – She looked at his sulking face and snickered again. _Ah…

_"Now I'm satisfied." – She beamed and laid her head back down on his lap, closing her eyes to look for some sleep with a smile on her face. She felt relaxed after laughing like that. _

_Rogue smiled, she usually would say that after she heard him singing. He didn't know why, but Lucy rarely told Sting to sing her a song although he sang so much better than him. Rogue only hummed some times, never singing for anybody but her. _

_Lucy and Sting had first discovered his "talent" when they first played "truth or dare". It was an embarrassing memory that Rogue never wanted to repeat again. After that, Lucy was the only one that had the privilege to hear him sing. Although he complained a lot after a song, deep down inside, he didn't mind that much. If his voice could make her laugh like that, then it was okay with him, as long as she was the only one around. Lucy knew that so she only asked him to sing her a song when there were only the two of them._

_Although she was having an amnesia and couldn't remember most of her old self, but something about her never changed._

* * *

><p><strong>[Friday - 7AM]<strong>

The motorcycle skidded to stop before it crashed into a car in front of him.

"Watch where you're going, punk!" - The driver shouted at him angrily, then drove away in fume.

He nearly crossed the red light.

Rogue took off his helmet, calming his own breath. _DAMN IT! _He screamed in his head and hit his handlebars in frustration. His mind just kept going back to those memories and because of that he couldn't concentrate on the road.

* * *

><p><strong>[Last night]<strong>

_"What?" – Rogue asked, staring at Sting. They were sitting across each other on the dining table. _

_Sting __sighed__. – "I said I wouldn't be able to join you tomorrow, neither would Lucy." – He said and halted just to continue a few seconds later. – "You will be okay on your own, right? Doctor said that melancholy things aren't good for someone who is recovering like her, she needs to enjoy herself." – He shrugged._

_Rogue shook his head. – "I don't get it, it's just an anniversary, how come it's a 'melancholy thing'?"_

_"Still, it involves death, so it's worth considering __to be__ a melanchoic thing. I don't want to risk her health." – Sting replied coolly._

_Rogue narrowed his eyes and snorted. "That's lame. Admit it, you just want her all for yourself."_

_"I don't know what you're talking about." – Sting said nonchalantly. Rogue's accusation didn't make him flinch._

_"Don't play dumb with me. You've had her for a whole week and I didn't even complain a tad. The kids want to see her and you're gonna drag her away from them with your stupid excuses_?" –_ Rogue asked coldly_.

_Sting shrugged indifferently._

_"What happened between you and her?" – Rogue asked, folding his arms. _

_Sting looked up at him and put down his chopsticks to return the gesture._

_"I told you, nothing happened." – Yes, he knew what Rogue was talking about._

_"Don't lie to me, Sting. I know something happened and I wanna to know why you're hiding it from me." – He glared. _

_Sting inwardly smirked. He never saw Rogue being this annoyed with him. He didn't say anything for a minute, letting Rogue glare at him as much as he wanted. He knew how to get under that guy's skin.  
><em>

_"Fine…" – He took a deep breath, pretending to sigh in defeat. – "Me and Lucy are dating…Like a real _couple_." – He put emphasis on the last word and picked up his chopsticks again. _

_Rogue's eyes widened slightly. - "What?"  
><em>

_"We're dating…"- Sting replied again, louder this time._

_Rogue was taken off guard and he couldn't find his voice for a while, he just kept staring at Sting. _

_Sting cocked his head aside at his face. – "What? Isn't that you want? Isn't that what you always tell me to do: asking her out? I did and now we're a couple."_

_Rogue continued to gape at him. The chopstick almost fell out of his hand. There was a lump in his throat; he gulped, but it wouldn't slip down. It suddenly felt so hard to inhale in the room, his breath slightly quickened._

_His insides were back to normal after a minute and he put on his usual blank face._

_"Why did you have to hide it? Why didn't you just tell me?" – He demanded._

_"I don't know…" – Sting answered and Rogue's eyes darkened. _

_Sting paid no mind to Rogue's turmoil, he finished his meal and wiped his mouth with the napkin. He stood up._

_"Oh and now you know what happened, maybe I should tell you the truth… I'll take her out on a date tomorrow. She's been looking forward to it for a whole week, so… You'll be fine on your own, right?" – Sting asked, smirking._

_Rogue stared at the meal before him, he had already lost his appetite._

_"Yeah, you know I'm always fine..." - He said. Sting nodded, ignoring his sarcasm._

* * *

><p>Sting was right; Rogue had always been the one who encouraged him to follow his heart, to overcome his past and take the happiness that he deserved. Sting did what he told him to.<p>

But then again, why did it feel so painful when he heard it? After Sting'd left to his room, Rogue had sat back and thought about what the blonde said over and over again. He had calmed his breath and told himself that it was good and it was okay. He was happy for them, right? He clenched his fists.

_Stupid feelings… _They chose the perfect time to disturb him.

For a whole week he had seen some subtle changes in both Lucy and Sting, he had his own suspicion. Rogue wanted to ask Sting or Lucy about it so many times, but he'd always found an excuse to decide against it. Deep down inside, he didn't want it to be true, no matter how many times he had told himself that he wouldn't be sad, he wouldn't be jealous and that was what he wanted.

Rogue sighed, checking his phone, it was 7 in the morning. He could have just set off after school, but he needed some time alone. He couldn't bear looking at them, knowing that he now was just an outsider. He ditched school today, packing his back and leaving his home when the sun didn't come up yet… Sting had her now and it was just a start of showing his possessiveness over her.

* * *

><p><em>"You know, I always feel peace when I'm with you." – Lucy mumbled after a while. <em>

_Rogue had abandoned his book and laid down with her on his bed, gazing at her smiling face. _

_"Uh huh, how so?" – He said quietly, trailing his index finger from her eyebrow down her chin, making her feel ticklish._

_Lucy closed her eyes, snuggling closer to his warmth. Sleep would be coming soon, but she couldn't stand silence so she had to think of something to talk._

_"You and Sting… are like yin and yang. You complete each other." – She mumbled._

_Rogue dragged his finger down her lips, lingering there longer than necessary and left them when they moved as she spoke._

_"When I'm with Sting, I feel like I'm on an adventure, with all kinds of trouble and drama…" – She giggled softly. _

_He just smiled. If only he could plant a kiss on those rosy lips. _

_"But when I'm with you, everything is once again quiet like it had never been aroused. Serenity is the only thing that I feel." – Lucy muttered, her tone was heavy with sleepiness._

_Rogue pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent._

_"So which one do you prefer?" – He whispered, stroking her hair again. _

_She was already asleep. But it was not like he wanted to hear her answer, for he was scared to hear it._

* * *

><p>The vibration of his phone pulled him out of his thought. Rogue took it out to see it was a message from Sting.<p>

_'Have a good trip'_ – It said.

Rogue heaved back a sigh and looked at Lucy's mischievous face on his wallpaper. He gripped his phone so hard until his knuckles turned white. The man turned it off, putting on his helmet to continue the ride and to reach his destination.

* * *

><p><strong>[Friday - 5.30PM]<strong>

"Rogue-san, Rogue-san, it's time for dinner." – A little girl grabbed his sleeve while he was sitting on the bench in the garden. He adverted his eyes from the sky to fix them on her when he heard her voice.

"Oh? Okay. C'mon, let's go inside." – He said and picked the girl up in his arms.

She giggled and used her index finger to poke at his face.

"Ne, Rogue-san… When will Lucy-san be here? It's been a while and I can't see her anywhere." – She pouted.

"She's… busy…" – He murmured. – "But don't worry, just be nice and she'll come back soon. Have you been nice, Asuka?" – He questioned, trying to distract the girl from asking more about Lucy.

"Uh huh, of course I've been nice. Mama and papa said that I'm the nicest person in our family." – She said proudly and Rogue chuckled.

Of course, she was the nicest one in their family. Asuka was a cute little girl whose parents took care of this orphanage with an old woman. Rogue walked into the kitchen in which almost 15 kids were running around.

"Okay, sit down and be nice kids, play-time is up." – Porlyusica said firmly and the children took their seat immediately. Rogue smiled a small smile at her, but she just 'tsk-ed' and mumbled something under her breath, then started to serve the meal to those little brats. Rogue silently gave her a hand, but she just shooed him away, saying that he should just sit down and not mess up things.

Rogue didn't mind, though. She was always like that since he was a little kid. This orphanage was where Rogue originally grew up until he was adopted by Weisslogia family. Porlyusica was Skyadrum's mother and Skyadrum was like a father to him, so Porlyusica was like his grandmother. Rogue looked around and the kids grinned when they caught his eyes. He paid them visit once in a while. He could be busy at some point of his life, but he never missed this day - his godfather's death anniversary.

Porlyusica was always narrowing her eyes at him when she saw that he had come, asking why he was still coming back here after he'd already got a nice family. And Rogue would just answer by a shrug, saying that was what he wanted and she would still see his face sometimes whether she liked it or not. She then would glare at him for being a smart ass and ordered him to do something helpful, if he didn't want her to kick him out of there for being lazy. Rogue always chuckled and obediently did what she told him. Despite all those things that she had said, Rogue knew that she wanted to see him.

Besides Porlyusica, there were two other people who helped her taking care of this place, they were Alzack and Bisca. They also had grown up here, had gotten married with each other, had had a cute child, and had decided to live here to devote their life to where they considered their home. They could have left, they could have chosen not to come back here – to forget the unneeded feeling that their biological parents gave them away, they could have just found another life in another place like so many other orphans when they got adopted in no one's family… But, just like Rogue, they couldn't do that, whether they could find a better place somewhere else or not.

When Rogue had come this morning, the kids were so happy to see him again. He was like a big brother to them. He would teach them origami or play with them, things Porlyusica never taught or Alzack and Bisca were too busy to do with them.

"Rogue-san, Lucy-san still couldn't come?"

"Rogue-san, did Lucy-san forget about us?"

"Rogue-san, where is Lucy-san?"

They had asked when they saw him this morning and he was not sure what he should tell them, so he settled for the easiest one: "She's busy". The kids would just beamed sooner or later when they saw all the cool stuff he showed them, although he knew they felt down.

Skiadrum had passed away 4 years ago because of leukemia. And on this day of every year, Rogue would come back to visit his grave. Weisslogia had taken him, Lucy, and Sting to his used-to-be hometown when they were 13 and they had been going on their own when they had hit 15, well…Sting and Rogue did. Lucy had stopped coming because she was abroad for 2 years. The kids always mentioned her when they didn't see her with them. Lucy was like their sister. She created all kind of pranks to play on Sting and him. And some times, spending all day at the orphanage would drive him and Sting crazy, all because of her. This year, neither Sting nor Lucy would come because they 'were busy'. Rogue didn't know how he should feel about that. Should he be angry? Should he feel abandoned? Should he feel betrayed? Really, he had no idea.

Rogue was deep in thought when there were knocks at the door. It sounded urgent… Rogue glanced at the clock, Alzack and Bisca were home so soon? Rogue quickly stood up before Porlyusica got a chance.

"Coming…" – He said.

Rogue opened the door and his eyes widened at the person standing in front of him.

"Lucy?" – The girl beamed and threw herself at him, giving him a bear hug.

"Rogue!" – She rubbed her head against his chest and sighed in content, leaving Rogue standing there completely motionless and with a dropped jaw.

"Finally, I can see your face for the first time of today!" – She exclaimed happily and without a word moved pass him to go to the kitchen.

"Kids!" – She called.

The kids became startled and looked at the person calling them. Their face lit up when they saw her face.

"LUCY-SAN!" – They squeaked and rushed at her. She laughed softly and hugged all of them, creating a disorderly small crowd, then told them to get back to their meal. Lucy turned at Porlyusica, she smiled at the old woman and the old woman nodded in acknowledgement at the young girl.

Rogue, after he regained his composure, went back to the kitchen. He looked at her in confusion.

_Sting told her that I was here? _

Lucy joined their dinner, laughing and chatting with the kids. All the time she could feel Rogue's eyes on her, but she didn't say anything.

"Lucy-san, Rogue-san said that you couldn't come." – A girl exclaimed.

Most of the kids were around 12 and the youngest one of them was Asuka. Lucy smiled at her.

"Well, I was busy, Wendy. But the plan changed more or less 91 minutes ago, so…here I am." – She grinned.

"How long are you two gonna stay here? It's late and you're not planning to just go after dinner, are you?" – Porlyusica said and gave Reiner a disapproved look when he spoke with his full mouth.

Lucy put her finger on her chin to think.

"I don't know, Porlyusica-san. That depends on Rogue. If he stays, I'll stay…" – She turned to smile at Rogue and he blushed slightly.

Wendy quickly caught that and she stared at Rogue, then giggled. She put her mouth close to Zenna's ear, the girl sitting right next to her, and whispered something. Zenna did the same with Reiner and Reiner did the same with Haru…

"Ehm... I was going to go home tonight, but since you've just arrived… Maybe we should stay here for another day." – Rogue said calmly, fighting back the blush on his cheek.

Lucy grinned and looked at Porlyusica for permission, silently asking if it was okay with her. Porlyusica nodded. She could arranged a small spare room for them. It would be dangerous if they went home late at this time.

Lucy looked back at Rogue and caught him staring at her again.

"What?" – She smiled, cocking her head aside and batting her eyelashes innocently.

"Wh-What?" – He flinched and stuttered. Rogue inwardly slapped his face.

Not long after Wendy started murmuring something to her best friend that all the kids around the table turned to look at Lucy and Rogue; they snickered as they watched them closely.

"You just keep staring at me. Is there something wrong?" – She said.

"N-No." – _Damn it! _Rogue cleared his throat. – "Nothing." - _Why the hell do I have to stammer?_

"Rogue-san, why is your face so red?" – Asuka suddenly asked, beaming at him.

The kids concentrated their eyes upon him and Porlyusica sent him a knowing look, unsmiling.

"What? Really? Rogue, are you okay?" – Lucy asked worriedly, she put her hand on his forehead and leaned on his face, making him redder even more.

He unconsciously leaned away from her and Lucy frowned at his strange behavior. The kids giggled and Rogue swore he saw each one of them just developing a pair of small devil's horn, Asuka even had a tail.

"No, I'm fine, Lucy." – He mumbled, taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and getting back to his old self.

"O…kay?" – She said when she saw his face went back to normal. She shrugged and started eating again.

Rogue looked back at the kids and they wriggled their eyebrows at him. He glared at them, but they just stared back with (fake) innocence.

* * *

><p>Sting sat in his room. Father hadn't come home yet, so he enjoyed his dinner alone. Sting chewed his food slowly, his phone was feeling in his hand. He had just called Porlyusica a minute ago. He wanted to know if Lucy had already arrived, safe and sound.<p>

Porlyusica said that she had come and she was having fun with the kids. He had apologized to her for not being able to come. Even though she didn't ask, he knew she was curious.

Sting stared at a picture of three of them on his desk. It was a summer season when they were 13 and were playing at a local pool. Rogue stood with his grumble face, Sting and Lucy were hanging on his back, smiling and making peace sign with their hands so Weisslogia could take a picture.

Sting touched the picture gently and smiled.

* * *

><p>"Urgggg… Finally, those kids have completely drained out my energy." – Lucy groaned as she laid on the bed, face down. They had fun nonetheless.<p>

After dinner, Rogue taught them origami again, this time something harder like a crane. They made a lot of cranes after that and hung them around their room.

"You mean…draining out _my _energy?" – Rogue grunted behind her.

Lucy turned around and she broke into soft laugh again at his face. Lucy and those evil kids had used him as their 'object' when they tried to paint his face with Lucy's cosmetics and tied several knots as well as braids to create a new look for him. He fought in protest (of course), but finally gave in when a bunch of small kids and a _big kid _succeeded in pinching him on the ground. After almost two hours of torture, they finally let him go. But then, they… made him play the part of a scary monster with his face like that to play tag. Lucy had laughed really hard at his face when he chased after her and the kids around the house. If a real monster existed, then he would be ashamed in the name of the all monster species…

When it was late, Porlyusica told them to go to bed. That was the time when Rogue was able to rest. Alzack and Bisca had gone home just a while ago. They were greeted with Rogue's face and they had to try their best to stifle their laugh for his sake. They were also very happy to see Lucy again.

It was already almost 11PM when Lucy and Rogue had come to their room to rest. Lucy turned away so she wouldn't laugh nonstop at his face again.

Rogue groaned, then went to the bathroom to wash his face. Unfortunately, it was not easy to make the redness of his cheeks drift away. He went back to stand beside the bed and glared at her. She tilted her head at him again, amusement dancing in her eyes. He pointed a finger at his face, silently asking 'What the hell I'm gonna do with my face like this?' She snickered loudly and pulled him to sit down on the bed. She took a piece of cotton wool in her bag, wetting it with make-up remover liquid and starting to wipe his face. Her smile never left her face. A comfortable silence embraced them both.

Yet, Rogue broke it with a question. – "Sting told you that I was here?"

Lucy halted to look into his eyes. _No, actually… _- "Yes, he reminded me." – She didn't know why she just blurted it out like that, but she had a feeling that she should say yes.

"Why didn't he come?" - _How was your date?_

Lucy shrugged. - "He's... Not feeling well." - She said quietly.

Rogue inwardly scoffed. _Right._

Rogue looked at the ground while Lucy was wiping his face. When they were at the dinner table, he had so many questions in his mind, but now… Suddenly, he didn't know where he should start or should he start at all. He sighed.

"What's wrong?" – Lucy said quietly, touching his face tenderly like he usually did to her when he caught her sigh like that.

He stared at her face, then slowly shook his head. - "Nothing."

Lucy smirked at him. – "Ahhhh, I know… You missed me, huh? That's why you acted strangely."

Rogue rolled his eyes playfully. – "Yeah right, keep telling yourself that."

"Awww, he's shy…" – She cupped his face in her palms and pouted at him playfully. – "Don't worry, I'm here with you right now~" – She said in her sing-song voice and he eyed her like she just hit her head somewhere. She released his face and grinned.

"Oh, c'mon, really? Didn't you miss me?" – She asked, nudging slightly at his ribs.

"Nope." – He lied nonchalantly.

She gave him puppy dog eyes. – "Not one bit?"

"Not one bit." – Came his cool reply. Lucy chuckled, she could see through his façade.

"Well, too bad... Because I did…" – She stood on her tip-toes and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek, then ran off to the bathroom to brush her teeth, leaving him blushing again.

**End of chapter 18**

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><p><strong>Phew~ <strong>

**So... Good? Bad? Tell me what you think :D Thanks for reading :D**

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><p><strong>My gratitude to who had reviewed: rolulove4ever, XxZoruraTheEpicsxX, not-in-use-dont-read, Guest, Little Ms. Pumpkin, Guest<br>**

**zin-chan-luvs-u: haha, no wonder XD Well, here's your new chapter *gasp* I hope it's not too late :))**

**NatashAurel: Sorry for the wait :D I've been busy (I'll still be busy for the rest of the month TTvTT) Some RoLu moments for you in this chapter XD Until next time, RivaMika shipper :)))) **

**bluefrost15: Haha, about Loke :)) You'll find out later, hope that you don't mind waiting XD**

**I'm . such . a . geek: Such strong emotions :))) I'm happy that you like my story TTvTT**

**Guest: Some RoLu for you ^^~**

**Shouko Heart: Ahh, yes, BFF XD I have a BFF too, she talks a lot and she's a little weird =)) just like your BFF. I'm the normal one between two of us =))))))**

**Mandy422: Oh you got it right XD I usually update once every two weeks on Sunday, or Monday, sometime Tuesday when my beta's too busy :D Sorry that new chapter couldn't be here until July TT^TT Here's your new chapter :D (and sorry again because Sting did catch them XD)**

**Crimson Witch: Aww, thank you ^^~ I'm glad you like it :D**


	19. Chapter 19 - Forever best friends?

**Hi guys! First of all, I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE.**

**I just finished my exam last week :D Don't be mad at me please :(**

**And another thing, the internet link of my country is in problem -_- I've been struggling for almost an hour just to get to my account, I can't even read your reviews now so I can't answer them properly :((( I'm so sorry.**

**But anyway, thank you for reading, following, making this your favorite story, and reviewing. I appreciate it a lot.**

**Enjoy!**

**The song I used in this chapter is Make you feel my love by Adele. **

**I think it's a perfect song to describe Rogue's feeling.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 19 - Forever best friends ?**

_"Hypocrite." - She gritted her teeth. Suddenly, the hanging woman used the scissors to stab Lucy's hand, making her cry out in pain. Her other hand tugged on Lucy's pony-tail, hard enough to drag the girl down with her. Both of them fell off the balcony. During the short flight, Suzuki continued to jab her shoulder and the girl almost blackened out, but before she lost her consciousness, she heard a blurred voice…_

_"LUCY!" _

_Sting? Rogue? _

_She felt something hard beneath her and everything went dark._

* * *

><p>Lucy's eyes snapped open. She closed them again and tried to calm her breath. Her cheek was touching a wet material of a pillow; she blinked and another tear flew out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and exhaled heavily when she saw Rogue's face in front of her. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted. She cried silently when she saw him so close to her. <em>Breath, breath, Lucy. This is reality. <em>She snuggled closer to the boy, to his warmth and her heart slowly stopped racing.

* * *

><p><strong>[6 hours ago]<strong>

Lucy quickly went to her room. Grabbing her backpack, she put in some necessary things. After changing her clothes, she bid her mother goodbye and left. She didn't get a chance to see her father, not that she cared about seeing him anyway. He probably was still busy, which was the usual. She declined her mother's offer to take her to the train station by car and decided to walk instead. It was only 4PM, she still could make it before the sunset. She was going to see Rogue at his original hometown, where he used to live before he was adopted to Weisslogia's family, to visit his godfather's grave. That day was his death anniversary.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Lunch time that day]<strong>_

_"Hey, Luce." – Sting pecked her cheek and they sat down on the rooftop together. Alone, with no sign of Rogue._

_"Where's Rogue?" – She asked._

_Sting shrugged. – "I don't know, he left home early, saying that he had some important stuff to do today. Did he tell you something about that?"_

_Lucy frowned in confusion, knitting her eyebrows to think. _

_After a while, she gave up, because she couldn't remember if there was something important about today that Rogue had told her._

_"Nah, I can't remember." – She said. – "Are you sure he's okay?" _

_Lucy felt like today was truly important. _

_"Yeah, he's a big guy, don't worry." – He ruffed her hair._

_Sting didn't know, either. So she couldn't understand why she kept feeling like that. Sting would tell her if she couldn't remember, right? The girl smiled at him, but in her mind she couldn't stop wondering if Rogue was really fine._

Great, now I'm paranoid. But… Just to be sure, maybe I should send him a message.

_She pulled out her cellphone, being carefully watched by Sting. She didn't notice that his eyes were glued to her face, watching the way she frowned or bit her lips in anxiety._

'Hey, where are you? Something's wrong? You ditched school today.' – _He rarely missed classes on purpose._ _Lucy pressed the send button. Rogue would answer her back soon, he always did._

_Three hours later, there still was no answer from him and she began to worry. She called him several times, but it couldn't reach him. She asked Sting again, but every time she did, he would just shrug it off, saying that Rogue was fine and she should be worried about herself. Now that she thought about it again, there was no way Sting could forget it. She wondered what were his reasons._

_Did they have a fight or something?_

_Lucy asked herself when she was sitting in the train. Sting and Rogue hardly ever had a fight, their friendship and bond were just always great._ _Well, whatever… I'll ask him later._

* * *

><p><strong>[Present]<strong>

_I almost died back then._

She had thought she could never meet her friends and family again. It'd been the moment before she'd been dragged into the darkness that she'd felt truly scared. The very thought of being parted from important people in her life made her blood run cold. Lucy suddenly sat up, looking for her phone.

_3AM._

She unlocked the screen and quickly typed a message, then chose several receivers and sent it to Natsu, Gray, Erza, Levy...

'Guys, thank you all for being my friends in this lifetime. Every memory we had and will have, I will never forget. I love you all… And don't worry, there's nothing wrong with me, I just feel like texting you guys.' – Said the message.

Lucy smiled. She typed another message and sent it to her parents. _Well, maybe just to mom… Father won't be please if I wake him up in the middle of the night because of some stupid message._

'Mom, dad, thank you for bringing me to this life, for raising me up, for teaching me, and for loving me. I love you so much.' – She pressed the send button and looked at Rogue again.

Actually, the nightmare made her realize that every minute could be her last, because no one knew what would happen tomorrow. She didn't want to taste the feeling of regret of not letting her family or her friends know how much she loved them.

The girl smiled at the sleeping brunet's face, then walked out on the balcony, quietly closing the glass door behind her back. She opened the directory, looking for 'Stingy', and pressed the call button. The bell rung for a while before she heard a drawling voice.

"_Hello?" – _Lucy snickered.

"Hey, Stingy. It's me, Lucy." – She heard him grumble and smiled wider.

_"What do you want, Blondie?"_

"Good morning to you, too. " – She laughed softly.

"_Is there something wrong? Why are you calling me at…3AM in the morning?" – _Sting yawned through the phone. Lucy let out a long breath, then leaned against the rail and looked at the sky, sparkling with hundreds of stars. Just hearing his voice was enough to put her mind at ease.

"Nothing… I just missed you." – She said quietly.

There was a long pause before Lucy heard his voice again. She guessed he was taken off guard.

_"I've missed you, too. Rogue's lucky that I let him have you all to himself for over a day." – _Lucy giggled on his statement.

"I'm the one who wants to be here, remember?"

_"I know… But, still…" – _She smiled, knowing that he was doing the same .

None of them said anything for a while, like they were trying to feel the other's presence through the phone.

_"I miss you…"_

"I kno-"

_"I miss you like crazy…" – _He cut her off.

She smiled sheepishly even though he couldn't see that.

"Wow, you've turned soft." – She snickered.

A track of light whipped across the black sky. Lucy closed her eyes and made a wish.

_"I want you to be here, right here, right now... With me."_

Sting looked at the spot right next to him. He touched it gently, imagining that Lucy was lying on his bed, gazing at him with her big brown eyes.

"I want to see your smile, to hear your laugh… I want to run my finger down your arm, feeling your soft skin against mine… I want to…."

_"…kiss you, then run my tongue along you bottom lips, feeling your sweetness." _- Lucy opened her eyes and unconsciously bit her lip. Her sight was set on the stars, but her mind was somewhere else.

"You sound sappy, you know. And too bad, because I'm still here, huh?" – She whispered, smiling.

Sting chuckled on the other side of the call. It was okay if he turned soft or sappy, as long as it was for her.

_"Sting?"_ – She called after a while.

"Hmm?"_ – _Sting mumbled, still sleepy.

_"I love you." _

Her heartbeat slightly quickened when she realized what she'd just said. Lucy didn't regret it, though. She had a feeling that if she didn't say it right then, she would never get a chance to do it. She wanted him to know that. No, she had no intention of saying goodbye to this life, but never had a chance to tell him that she loved him. And it seemed like a perfect moment.

_I love you._

Upon hearing that, warmth spread though his body and Sting smiled contentedly.

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p>"I love you." – Rogue heard Lucy saying quietly.<p>

He couldn't sleep and he didn't know, why. He saw Lucy crying and murmuring something in her sleep earlier. _What are you dreaming of? _He thought and touched a tear that fell from her closed eyes. Shutting his own the moment she stirred, he could feel her skin when she snuggled closer to him like she was seeking comfort.

Rogue was staring at the ceiling while she'd walked out to call somebody. He sighed when he realized it was Sting. Couldn't he have his friend for one day without her thinking about Sting all the time? Finally, his heart constricted at her saying those three words, that he wanted to hear so badly, to someone else. But what could he do? Break in? That "someone else" was his best friend, his brother, his family… He smiled sadly at his pitiful situation. He felt like he was a hypocrite. And he was one, lecturing Yukino about unselfishness and true love, but couldn't stop himself from wanting to have Lucy all for himself. She was right. Love made people selfish, no matter how noble they were.

Rogue looked at her through the glass door. She was still talking to Sting, but he couldn't hear the words anymore. His mind shut their conversation out the moment he heard _those_ words. He extended his arm in her direction like he was trying to hold her… The blonde was right in front of his eyes, but he couldn't reach her. She was like sand, no matter how hard he tried to hold her, she would still slip out of his grip. He could see her, but she was so far, far away.

_Don't be so engrossed in talking to him like that, I'm right here. _He stared at her back.

Lucy laughed softly again and that was the moment when he burst. He sat up straight, then moved towards her quickly and yanked the phone out of her hand. Lucy seemed startled, but quickly regained her composure when she realized it was Rogue.

"Hey!"

"It's late." – He said coldly to Sting through the phone and hung up. Turning off the device, he grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.

"What are you doing, idiot? I'm talking to him." – Lucy frowned at him.

What was wrong with him? Why was he so angered? Did he possibly hear her conversation with Sting?

"It's late and you should sleep." – He commanded.

Lucy stood in front of him, folding her arms.

"I sleep when I want to… And give me back my phone." – She narrowed her eyes. The look he threw her sent shivers down her spine, but she refused to back down.

_Stubborn girl. _Not thinking much, he grabbed her arm again and pushed her down on bed, pinning her against it with his hands, tightly gripped on her shoulders.

"I said, sleep." – He gritted his teeth. He glared at her with his red eyes and for a moment, Lucy couldn't even recognize him.

Rogue released her, throwing her phone inside the drawer, then laid back down on his side, pulling the blanket over his body, turning around.

_What the hell was that? _

She glared at his back and stuck her tongue out at him.

_What's wrong with him?_

Well, maybe she was talking too loud and that woke him up. He'd always hated that. She sighed and closed her eyes… Either way, now she felt content.

* * *

><p>Sting stared at the cell phone in his hand. Suddenly, he chuckled.<p>

_This is fun._

Sting tossed the phone aside, closing his eyes and trying to sleep again.

_I love you. _

* * *

><p><strong>[The next morning]<strong>

Rogue turned off the faucet, grabbing a wash-cloth to dry his face. He walked out of the bath room, approaching the bed where Lucy was still sleeping. He shook her gently.

"Lucy, Lucy, wake up… Time for breakfast, the kids might want to see you before they go to school."

"It's Saturday…" – She grumbled. – "Kids don't go to school on Saturday, idiot."

His brow twitched as his gaze shoot daggers at her. Her eyes were still closed and she snored quietly.

_Why is it so hard to wake you and _that idiot _up in the morning?_

Rogue glared at her face, but his eyes instantly softened. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping.

He sighed. _What am I gonna do with you? _He bent down to caress her face, giving her a kiss on the cheek before walking out.

The moment Lucy heard the sound of the closed-door, she opened her eyes and looked fixedly at where Rogue'd stood just a while ago. Her cheek was still warm. She touched it and felt something stirred inside of her.

_Something's wrong with me…_

She felt… kinda strange and it was like never before. It happened a lot lately when she was near Rogue and she usually chose to ignore it, but…it just wouldn't stop. Lucy knew that she couldn't ignore it forever; however, she also didn't know what to do. It felt a disease to her, because it made her slightly…embarrassed.

_Hopefully Rogue doesn't recognize and thinks that I'm a weirdo._

She thought and took a few deep breaths to calm down, then got up and walked in the bathroom.

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile, at Fiore Academy]<strong>

Sting made another jump and threw a ball. It hit the hoop and rebounded. He really, really wanted to see Lucy, but he couldn't. So he decided to spend his energy on basketball to forget about her absence.

"Good morning, Sting." – Someone greeted him and Sting turned around.

"Hi." – He said nonchalantly.

Yukino had been standing there for a while, watching him play before deciding to greet him. They didn't talk ever since you-know-what. Sting didn't seem angry, but she could clearly see that he was trying to make some distance. She got the idea, but until she could talk to him decently, her insides wouldn't settle down. When he'd rejected her, she felt angry, upset, and frustrated. Yukino realized that her kiss was a big mistake, because not only did Sting ignore her after that, but he and Lucy also started dating. She was the catalyst that had pushed them together sooner than they were supposed to be. She knew that much, because she had watched them carefully after that.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to talk to you." – She tried to stay calm.

"About what?" – He asked, this time a little coldly.

"Look…" – Yukino lifted her head to look straight at him. – "I know that you were angry at me because of _that_, but… I'm not sorry about what I did."

"You know that I like you, right?" – She asked when he just kept silent.

"You know my answer…" – He said quietly, leaning against the fence of the court. He couldn't bear looking into her eyes. He felt awkward, but also a bit guilty.

"I want to hear it properly from you… Don't you think I deserve that?" – Yukino tried keeping her emotion in check. She didn't want him to see her cry, she didn't want to appear as weak in front of him. She wanted to be tough, like Lucy.

"My heart already belongs to someone else, I'm sorry that it's not you." – Sting said coherently and definitively, looking straight at her.

Yukino looked into his eyes and she couldn't help but feel like drowning in them hopelessly. She could was aware of her heart being shattered into pieces when she heard his answer. It was inevitable; she knew it would come sooner or later, but deep down, she still tried to deny it.

"She's your best friend." – Yukino blurted out.

"So what?" – Sting frowned.

"It would be awkward… What if you two don't work out? You'll lost your friendship forever…."

"How do you know that? Love and friendship, they're totally different…" – He retorted back.

Sting knew where this was going… He hated to admit that Yukino was right, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he knew that once they lost their love, they would also lose their friendship.

Yukino folded her arms, her eyes were now as cold as his. As if she was trying to grasp water with her bare hand, an effort put in despair.

"If you're telling me that you two could be friends again after dating, then let me tell you something. It is said that if two lovers could be friends after breaking up, they're still in love or they had never been in love. That means you could only choose one: love or friendship… The only way that you could have both is dating another girl and still be friends with your "precious" Lucy."

Sting snorted. – "Dating another girl, you mean 'you'? Sorry, but dating you is out of the question. I'm with Lucy now and I will do anything to be with her." – He grabbed the ball, ready for another round.

Yukino frowned. – "Even pushing Rogue away?"

Sting stopped moving. – "What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend that you don't know about Rogue's feeling towards Lucy." – Whether Sting was willing to break his brother's heart to be with Lucy or not, she wanted to find out.

"So?" – Sting narrowed his eyes at her.

"Being with her is enough? No matter how Rogue would feel? You two have growned up together even before Lucy appeared, am I right?"

He sneered. – "You're an outsider… You don't know how our relationship works, so back off." – Sting then rose and threw the ball into the basket.

Well… Yukino was a stubborn girl, so she wouldn't let it go that easily.

She scowled. - "Let just say that you two could get what you want… But you know what they'll say once they find out about the three of you, right?"

Sting didn't answer, yet, this time he jumped more roughly and the ball went straight to the basket again.

"You and Rogue could be fine, but the one who'll receive most of the criticisms will be Lucy… Want to know what they're gonna call her?"

"Don't you dare to spill it out…" – Sting gritted his teeth.

Now that she talked about it, Sting started to realize something… Both he and Rogue were paying too much attention to what they wanted. As a result, they had completely forgot about the consequences, about how Lucy would feel.

"They'll call her a slut, a sly vixen, a-" – In a blink of an eye, Sting was right in front of her.

He gripped her face, using his palm to cover her mouth and squeezed hard. His voice lowed to a dangerous tone, which she heard for the first time. Yukino stood there frozen, waiting for what he would do to her.

"I told you not to spill it out! I don't care what people say about me, but I will not allow anyone to say that about Lucy, especially in front of me. Me and my _brother _will protect her, no matter what happens… You should mind your own business." – Sting said and let go of her face.

"This conversation is over and I don't have any desire to talk to you ever again." – He passed by her, walking out of the basketball court without sparing her a glance.

Yukino stood alone at the court. Finally, she sighed.

_What am I doing?_

* * *

><p>"Rogue…."<p>

….

"Rogue…."

…..

"Rogueeeeeee….!"

"What?" – Rogue grumbled. – "You're scaring the fish, Lucy." – He glared at her.

Lucy pouted. – "Can't help it, it's so boring…"

"You're the one who wanted to go fishing with me, remember?" – He raised a brow.

"I had no choice, the kids went to school and I didn't want to be alone with Porlyuska. She's scary." – Lucy grunted.

After what happened last night and this morning, Lucy tried to act normal when she was with the boy. She didn't have to (she assumed), but she thought she should try.

_Why do I have to try? _She asked herself.

She was the one who felt awkward, she was the one who had intricate thought and feeling, not him. He just acted like usual and she just over-reacted, then pushed herself in a mentally mess.

_Well, whatever, I should enjoy his company and the atmosphere while I still can. _

"Rogueeeeee…." – She pouted and he grunted.

"Could we do something else?"

He sighed heavily, then began questioning bringing her along. – "At least let me catch one fish."

**15 minutes later.**

"You suck, Rogue."

"Like you're any better. And this is your fault for scaring them." – He glared.

"Oh please, just admit it, you suck." – Lucy rolled her eyes.

The fishing line suddenly moved and Rogue smirked at her.

"Fishing takes time and patience, princess."

He pulled the line up and the fish slowly appeared. Lucy glared at his smug face. However, the moment she turned to look at the fish, she burst out laughing while Rogue was standing there, dumbfounded.

That was not a fish, it was an old leather shoe which got stuck on the hook. Lucy held her stomach and laughed like crazy.

"Hey, Rogue, maybe Porlyuska-san could make some delicious dish from that." – She teased and continued to howl. Rogue snapped out of his state and scowled hard.

"Shut up." – He abandoned his fishing rod and threw himself at her.

"This is all your fault." – Rogue pinched her cheeks and she squealed in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Staap it, you idiet (Stop it, you idiot)!" – Lucy punched his chest repeatedly.

She kicked him and Rogue entangled his legs around hers. She struggled, but he still refused to let go and didn't realize that the boat was rocking. Lucy used all her strength to push him away; suddenly, Rogue lost balance and fell backwards… However, a loud splash that was supposed to be heard was drown out by an even louder feminine squeal.

* * *

><p>"You two went fishing, right? Then, where are the fish?" – Porlyuska asked.<p>

"Ehm… Well, the boat overthrew… And we fell out of it… Along with the fish." – Rogue scratched his head while Lucy laughed nervously. Both of them were standing at the doorway, shivering like crazy.

Polyuska narrowed her eyes at them, then sighed after a minute.

"Go change your clothes before you catch a cold, then just go to the market and buy me something for lunch, you troublesome brats." – She scolded them.

Lucy beamed and quickly dragged Rogue back into their room. The water'd been cold and she didn't think she could take being wet any longer.

* * *

><p><strong>[Meanwhile, at some… place who-know-where]<strong>

"I am so dead, I am so dead, I am so dead…"

"Loke, shut up!"

"I am so dead, I am so dead, I am so dead…" – Loke groaned and murmured again. _I AM SO DEAD!_

"If you don't want to do it, then just don't do it and let me handle it." – Totomaru said.

"I can't. She's my fiancée… Well, sort of… She hasn't agreed on that, but she will. The point is, we had a deal. If I don't do it, she's gonna tell her father that I go back on my words and I'll lose my one and only ally!" – He grunted again.

Loke and his manager were sitting on an airplane, ready to go back to Japan where his "lovely soon-to-be wife" was waiting for him to humiliate himself in front of thousands of people (maybe?).

A week before, having stood frozen for almost ten minutes after the friendly match, Loke'd looked to his right and realized that Lucy had gone off somewhere. He'd found her at the basketball court, talking to her friends about the game, completely forgetting that they still had had a deal.

_It's not like I break my promises or something, I just… Put it off for a while, right?_

He'd thought and quickly put on his cap, disappearing in the crowd to where his servant had been waiting. They had had no problem in escaping the crowd, which had appeared because of his presence, since lots of people'd already flooded out when the match was over.

His manager had been taken by surprise when the celebrity suddenly wanted to go to France early, but well… Who was he to complain about it anyway, even though he was kind of suspicious. Maybe something was wrong with his star? The fact that Loke had constantly been on the tenterhooks since he went to his old school to watch a basketball match had only confirmed his worries. Not until he asked Loke's servant, Kira, about it had he found out what happened. It went without saying that he'd almost lost it when he heard about the deal.

The girl was Lucy Heartfilia, a daughter of the most wealthy man in this country, so… What could he do about it? He couldn't threat that girl, – he would have to lose his mind if he ever tried to do so – but he couldn't let this deal destroy Loke's reputation either. As far as he knew, her father didn't want her identity to be well-known. What's more, the engagement between her and Loke was postponed because of her amnesia…

"But, Loke… Why do you want to marry her so badly? Don't tell me that it's because of her family's status?" – Totomaru asked.

"No, it's because she saved me once when we were young…" – Loke said.

"Be more specific."

"Well, seven years ago, her family went to Hokkaido to travel while I had an extracurricular trip with my classmates. I was swimming, but was suddenly taken down by a cramp. Nobody saw me because I was small and… Luckily, she saved me. I was twelve and she was ten back then." – Loke said, smiling.

His manager raised an eyebrow. – "That's it?"

Loke frowned. – "What do you mean 'That's it'?"

"Well, I was kinda expecting something like… Love chronicles between you two."

"She stole my first kiss." – Loke narrowed his eyes at Totomaru. – "She didn't even check out whether I blacked out or not and just went straight to give me a CPR while I was still conscious."

"Pffff… Really?" – He chuckled. – "And you are hypnotic only because of that, unbelievable. And, to your information, that didn't even count as a kiss."

"Well, what did you expect? I was just a kid, a popular kid with the ladies and the girls, but I was still one! Something like that is unforgettable to a child. She told me her name was Lucy Heartfilia, I didn't know who she was until a few years later. I'd wanted to see her for a long time before I got a chance. But Jude-san hid her identity so well that I couldn't find out where she was. Later on, I discovered that my father used to be his colleague before Jude-san decided to set up his own company. He owned my father a lot."

"And you took advantage of that, am I right?" – Totomaru shook his head. Loke smirked.

Marrying Lucy Heartfilia would definitely increase Loke's popularity. Besides, that girl was beautiful, they would make a perfect couple. Yet, the biggest problem right now was that deal… Totomaru was deep in thought before an idea came across his mind.

"All right, just go back to Japan and do what you promised her. Let me handle the rest."

Loke looked at his manager in surprise. He wondered what kind of plan prepared Totomaru.

He thought about the deal and Lucy's face popped in his head. Loke unconsciously shivered. Seemed like he had no choice but to trust his manager.

* * *

><p>"Just pedal it, Lucy. I won't let you fall."<p>

"I'm trying…" – Lucy frowned.

After changing their clothes, both of them went to the market to buy some food as they were told. What's more, they decided to go by bicycle which belonged to the one and only old woman named Porlyusica. They didn't let her know, because if later on there was something wrong with her bicycle, they would be dead.

Lucy gathered all her strength to pedal the bicycle, but it wouldn't move.

"What's wrong? Am I so heavy to you? I told you to let me ride it." – Rogue snickered.

Lucy pouted. She never rode a bicycle before and she wanted to try it, she would pedal and Rogue would keep the balance. But the reason why it couldn't move was because Rogue still didn't lift his legs up. He put his legs fixedly on the ground, watching Lucy struggle with the old vehicle.

"You… Can't… Be that… Heavy!" – Lucy whined, looking back at Rogue, who was laughing silently.

She looked down and glared at his feet. Understanding hit her. In anger, Lucy punched his arms and got off the bicycle.

"You bastard!"

Rogue quickly grabbed her waist, still laughing.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, sorry. C'mon, don't be mad, I'll let you ride." – He beamed.

Lucy got on the bicycle again, sulking.

This time, Rogue lifted his feet and it moved smoothly. He sat on the back saddle and put his hands on either side of the handlebars to keep them balanced and safe.

Lucy smiled, the feeling was really enjoyable. The wind blew against her skin gently and the sky was blue like sea without a cloud. Rogue sat behind Lucy, watching the sweet sun rays dancing on her hair and shoulders. The weather was nice, not too cold, but not too burning either.

To the girl's surprise, the market was not too crowded like she'd expected it to be. On the contrary to where Lucy'd grown up, every place there was full of people. It was nice to enjoy the atmosphere of the countryside once in a while. Rogue looked at the blonde he loved more than anything and smiled. He wondered how she could be so perfect like that; he just kept falling for her every single day and it was annoying. But, surely, he wouldn't complain, because if it were her, then he could endure every annoying sensation if he had to.

After going around the market in search for some fish and vegetables, they both started riding back, that time with Rogue carrying her.

"Hey, Rogue… Are you sure we're on the right way?" – Lucy asked when Rogue turned around the corner in the opposite direction to that back to the foster home.

"You don't remember? I'm taking you to Mairu park."

"Mairu park?"

Mairu park was a beautiful local park where they'd planted lots of fuji flowers. Fuji flowers only fully bloomed in spring. Although this time of the year you still couldsee some of them. Those which blossomed out early.

"Are you sure, because we still have to bring that foodstuff back to Porlyusica-san." – Lucy hesitated.

Rogue chuckled. – "Don't worry, she won't kill us even if we're late. It's still early, get some adventuresome spirit."

"Wow, you sure have a lot of energy today." – Lucy teased.

_Well, I'm with you. It would be weird if I didn't. _Rogue thought, smiling.

The boy rode the bicycle around the park so Lucy could contemplate the flowers in. Lavender, white apricot blossoms, snow flakes… It looked dreamlike. Lucy inhaled deeply and felt the fragrance of flowers faintly redolent in the wind. Oh god, she loved this country.

"Wow." – Lucy widened her eyes when they rode under the fuji flower trellis. There were branches of the oldest fuji flower tree in the park.

Rogue stopped next to a bench to satiate his sight with those beautiful flowers. Lucy couldn't imagine how it would look like when they were fully bloomed. They sat next to each other in silence. The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, but Lucy didn't understand, why.

"Hey, how long have we been friends?" – Rogue suddenly asked.

"Eh… 10 years." – Lucy looked at him.

"No, we've known each other for 10 years."

"Then I guess we've been friends for about 4 or 5 years. It would have been longer if you hadn't been so mean to me back then." – Lucy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, trying to make me feel guilty, huh?" – Rogue rolled his eyes, then ruffed her hair. – "But I must admit that you're one hell of a stubborn girl."

Lucy smiled. – "Well… If I weren't, then we wouldn't be here. It's like I'm the only girl who can stand your attitude."

Rogue chuckled. _Right, the only girl. _

"But that's not true, right?" – Lucy glanced at him. Rogue turned to look at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you've finally found your own special girl… And she could tame your rude personality, couldn't she? I'm not the only one who could do that, not that I'm proud of it or anything… But, being friends with the cold and frosty Rogue is already a big achievement in my life." – Lucy laughed softly.

Rogue gazed at her. – "You remember that?"

"Yep." – Lucy forced a smile.

_Of all the things she could remember… _Rogue thought, closing his eyes and just enjoying her presence. He didn't want to talk about _that girl _with her. He had a feeling that it wouldn't turn out good if he did.

"Hey, Rogue…" – Lucy called quietly.

"Hm?"

"Tell me something about _her_…" – She pleaded.

Rogue opened his eyes to look at those flowers before his eyes.

"I told you once before. She's smart, kind, innocent, and beautiful, too."

"I remember that, idiot. Tell me something else." – Lucy insisted.

"I can't."

She frowned. – "Why not?" – _Why is he so secret about her?_

"Don't wanna." – Rogue said, closing his eyes again.

Lucy tugged on his shirt, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"Tell me something else about her."

Rogue looked at her with his indifferent eyes, trying to read her emotions. He put his arm around her shoulder and leaned in closer, narrowing his eyes.

"Why do you want to know?"

In a flash, Rogue was able to detect something like realization hitting her eyes, but she hid it by looking up at the purple flowers shifting in the cold wind.

"You're my best friend, I have the right to know."

Rogue was still staring at her face. He suddenly felt annoyed. There was something in the way she answered that made his skin sting. He also experienced a rush of different emotions: a little bit of displease, a little bit of upset, and a little bit of hurt.

"That's my business." – He said coldly and once more pressed his eyelids together. _Always using the 'best friend card'… Will I ever hear something else from her?_

Lucy turned to look at him in surprise. He rarely used that tone with her… He used to, but not anymore. She gazed at him, trying to find out why he was angry and before she knew it, Lucy blurted out her question.

"If someday you had to choose between me and her, who would you choose?"

Rogue's eyes snapped open and he gazed straight into Lucy's serious expression. He was caught off guard and when he was trying to find back his voice, Lucy shook her head.

"Eh… I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked something like that." – She laughed nervously.

_Stupid Lucy! Why did you ask him something like that… You should have never done that._

Although she was longing for his answer, she knew she couldn't make him choose. That was unfair.

"Just forget it…" – She smiled. – "I think we should go, sitting here is boring."

Lucy stood up, but Rogue grabbed her wrist before she took at least one step, making her sit down again.

"If someday you had to choose between me and Sting, who would you choose?"

Lucy's eyes widened. – "That's a different case."

"That's the exactly same case." – Rogue said swiftly.

"What?"

"I know that you and Sting are dating."

"What?"

"Sting told me."

"WHAT?" – Lucy yelled. _That idiot told me to keep it secret. _

Rogue chuckled at her outburst. _Interesting reaction. _

"Well, it's not like I didn't want to tell you, but Sting told me to keep quiet about it." – Lucy tried to explain.

_When the rain is blowing in your face,  
>And the whole world is on your case,<br>I could offer you a warm embrace  
>To make you feel my love<em>

"I was kinda mad at you two for not telling me that, you know? I've been feeling lonely." – He whispered and leaned on her shoulder.

Lucy slightly blushed. There was something in the way he said that sounded kind of cute to her.

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear,  
>And there is no one there to dry your tears,<br>I could hold you for a million years  
>To make you feel my love.<em>

"Answer my question, Lucy." – Rogue said quietly, his voice sounded like coming from somewhere which was far, far away. He held her hand in his own, in need of something to prove to him that she was being there as well.

"Well, I asked you first." – Lucy said. A lame attempt to gain time.

"And I asked you second." – Rogue smirked, still refusing to let go of her hand.

"Smart ass." - Lucy snickered.

Rogue smiled, then put on his serious face again.

"Do you want me to choose you?" – He asked.

_I know you haven't made your mind up yet,  
>But I would never do you wrong.<br>I've known it from the moment that we met,  
>No doubt in my mind where you belong.<em>

Lucy tilted her head to look at him.

"That sounds tempting." – She smiled tenderly. _Yes. _

"If you choose me, I'll choose you." – Rogue said.

"Why?" – She looked at him in surprise.

"I've known you for ten years, you think I will choose another girl, whom I don't know how long I could love, over my best friend?" – He flicked her forehead.

_I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,  
>I'd go crawling down the avenue.<br>No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do  
>To make you feel my love. <em>

Lucy touched her forehead and closed her eyes. Peace came back to find her, although she knew it was just momentary. And she was right. When she chose to take a glimpse of her surroundings again, there were only his orbs, gaping into hers and looking for an answer. At that moment, she felt scared.

"You've only known me for ten years. If that girl is the person that you're looking for, then she will be able to be there for you for the rest of your life." – Lucy shook her head, forcing herself not to avert her gaze. – "And I can't choose between you and Sting. Both of you are important to me."

"So… You don't want me to choose you?" – Rogue asked.

"Of course I want to, but-"

_The storms are raging on the rolling sea  
>And on the highway of regret.<br>Though winds of change are throwing wild and free,  
>You ain't seen nothing like me yet.<em>

"Then just choose me. Between me and him, Sting was the one you first met, Sting was the one you first hugged, Sting was the one you first kissed, Sting was always the first one. Just… This time, let me taste that feeling…" – He took a flower petal that fell on her shirt and blew it away.

"What… Feeling?" – Lucy hesitated.

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true.  
>Nothing that I wouldn't do.<br>Go to the ends of the Earth for you,  
>To make you feel my love.<em>

"The feeling that I'm more important to you than Sting. Choose me and I'll give up on that girl because of you, I won't care about her anymore… Choose me and I'll give you everything I have…" – Rogue caressed her cheek.

_To make you feel my love._

He knew he was being ridiculous, but he had been dying inside since the moment he heard Lucy and Sting were dating. He knew very well that Lucy couldn't choose, but he couldn't bring himself not to ask her to.

Lucy constantly avoided answering. What could she say after the decision? Although she was happy… No, she was more than happy that her best friend was willing to choose her over his love, but it was a shame that she couldn't do the same. She was with Sting, she loved him and she didn't want to lose him. At the same time, she didn't want to let go of Rogue either. Therefore, she kept silent. _So selfish… _She thought about herself.

Rogue pulled back to look at her face, which was hidden under her bangs.

He sighed as he realized a ruthless truth. He could never replace Sting in her heart. He smiled a painful smile and released her from his grip.

"Let's go home." – Rogue said quietly.

Lucy looked up and all she could see was his broad back facing her. She extended her hand to grab his shirt, to say something, but stopped just in time. _What could I say? _He was standing in front of her, but she felt like he was miles and miles away. What'd just happened? One moment they were so happy, they were enjoying each other's company and a moment later, everything turned out like this. She felt something stirred inside her, thinking about the night she talked to Sting…

_If only I hadn't made that wish._

That night, she'd wished that things would just stay like that. Well. The universe must have hated her, because every time she wished for something like that, things would change in a way that she could never imagine. For the first time in her life, she hated stars.

**End of chapter 19**

* * *

><p><strong>Done ^^~ So... what do you think? XD<br>**

**I have a question: My beta wants StiLu, my best friend wants RoLu, I want both :))))**

**So you want:**

**StiLu? RoLu? Or both? What do you think about 3P? Should I make this a 3P story?**

**Just asking XD XD**


	20. Chapter 20 - I'm about to do something

**Hi there! This is Merikatori again! Sorry for the late update :D I had a Writer's block -_- Yeah, Writer's nightmare.**

**Thank you all for reading, following, making it your favorite, and reviewing XD Wow I got so many opinion from last chapter.**

**RoLu: 5, StiCy 4, Both 16 =)))) Oh, crap =))) I didn't expect that. Well, but I still have to think about the plot first before I decide which one I will take :D There are some opinions that's really interesting me :D **

**Here's your new chapter. Enjoy.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail (Do I really have to write this every chapter?)**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure <strong>

**Chapter 20 - I'm about to do something...**

Lucy was standing in front of Skyadrum's grave, gazing at the flowers. Rogue probably had put them there the day before. She laid the white daisies she bought next to his red ones. Rogue told her once that his god father loved those flowers, just like the love of his life.

They had also been best friends, just like Lucy and Rogue were now. They'd loved each other, but they had never been brave enough to say it out loud. Then, his love moved out of town with her family because of her father's business. She didn't even have time to say goodbye to her best friend and they lost contact after that. Skyadrum'd had to endure the regret that had slowly been eating him inside out for not being brave enough to say that he'd loved her. People usually regretted what they didn't do.

Deep in muse, Lucy smiled at the sudden memory. She had told Sting that she loved him… If she were to die today, at least she wouldn't regret it.

Next, Lucy thought back about what'd happened just an hour before. What Rogue had told her made her feel soaring at first, but then it'd disappeared and she felt like rocks were set heavily on her shoulders. Just like chocolate, it was sweet when you got the first taste, but the more you held it in your mouth, the more bitter it turned. She was happy, he also made her feel special, yet empty at the same time. How was that possible? She knew Rogue was adorable, no matter how grumpy he appeared. But Lucy could have never imagined that she would be able to hear something of that kind from him. Asking a friend of yours to stand by your side took a lot of courage, especially when _that friend _already belonged to someone else.

She really couldn't have them both? Her love and her friend? She frowned as a headache came to find her. _This is so complicated._

* * *

><p>Rogue was sitting still at the dining table while Polyuska was cooking lunch for the children. The school was holding a small festival which they had to prepare, that was why they had to go to school on Saturday.<p>

Porlyuska sensed that something was wrong when the duo had come back from the market. They were too quiet. Lucy'd offered to help, but she'd declined it. So the girl had gone to buy some flowers and to visit Skyadrum's grave. However, Rogue hadn't joined her. That was when she knew for sure that something was wrong. The boy hardly ever left her side for half a step. To both him and Sting… Lucy was like a magnet.

Now, Rogue was sitting silently, gazing at the mug of coffee in front of him. He didn't say anything so far. Hell, he didn't even move an inch.

Polyuska sighed. – "Troublesome brats."

…..

"What the hell is wrong with you and her, Rogue?" – She decided to ask.

She was a person who appreciated silence, but that stillness was too heavy to her taste.

"Nothing, Porlyuska-san." – He murmured after a long pause.

Polyuska didn't want to pry, that was not in her nature. If the kid didn't want to talk about it, then it was fine.

"Whatever the problem is between you and Lucy, you two should figure out a way to solve it and you'd better do it fast. You're here only for a couple of hours more. I don't want the kids to be upset." – She said quietly.

Rogue just nodded absentmindedly. _Things are getting worse. I shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have said that. I should have ignored it, whatever the hell is happening between them. _If he just had ignored it, things would still be the same. They would still be friends, best friends, even if it was just an excuse for him stay by her side. Nothing would have changed. But now… The more he wanted to draw closer to her, the more she was drifting away. _Sting has her without even try. Life sucks like that. _He chuckled humorless.

Suddenly, the phone vibrated in his pocket. Rogue pulled it out and shut it off right when he read the id. It was Sting. In fact, Sting was the last person he wanted to talk to right now. Actually, he didn't want to talk to anybody at that moment. He was very short tempered when someone was disturbing him while thinking or being silent. Sure, he was not a talkative person, but the silence when he was upset was very different from the one when he was okay.

_What a mess. _He sighed.

* * *

><p>For the third time, Sting tried to call Rogue, but the bastard's phone was shut off.<p>

_What now?_ He grunted.

Lucy's mother had just called him. Apparently, Lucy'd left some messages behind in the middle of the night that sounded pretty odd to her parents. They couldn't reach her, so they had called him, thinking that he was with her. He'd told them that she was fine, she just missed them and her phone was out of battery or something. The blonde male couldn't call her either, and when he called Rogue, that jerk had guts to hung up on him. Although he knew that Lucy was fine as long as she was with Rogue, he couldn't help but feel worried. Call him a possessive bastard, but he believed the safest place for Lucy was where he could watch her 24/7.

Sting froze at what he just thought.

He chuckled. _Wow, my obsession with her has been brought to a whole new level. _

He shook his head. _I wonder what happened with her and Rogue…_

Sting was worried sick over Lucy when he didn't hear anything from her for more than 24 hours. What's more, he was sure that something was up… Rogue sometimes acted like a kid, not picking up his phone when he was upset, Sting knew that much.

_Ha, sounds like a girl I know. _Lucy's childish habbit had rubbed on him, that was for sure.

He smiled again, but his smile didn't last long, because he remembered the last time he had seen Rogue. He hadn't seemed very happy when he'd found out his two best friends were dating. Sting sighed, wondering if what he was doing was right or not.

He loved Lucy, that was for sure. He didn't want to let go of her, he didn't want anyone else to have her. He wanted her to be his – and his alone. But then again, Rogue was his brother, his family. Even though Rogue didn't say anything about having feelings for Lucy, Sting could still see it clearly.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<strong>

_"Hey, Rogue…" – The 13 years old Sting called the reading brunet_ _on the front porch of their house. Licking his ice cream, Sting looked at Lucy who was running around, playing with Lector and Frosh. She was trying to train them to catch a disc and sniff a branch like dogs. Sting snickered._

_"Have you seen something weird in Lucy lately?" – Sting asked._

_Rogue and Lucy had become closer since the dinner 3 months ago at Weisslogia's house. The meanie had been nicer to her and that made Sting more than happy. Rogue's eyes left his book to be set on the girl._

_"What… Do you mean?" – Rogue said quizzically._

_"I mean…" – Sting gulped and blushed slightly. Rogue stared at him and raised a brow._

_"She… Like… I-I think she's…" – He scratched his nape and Rogue continued to gaze at him weirdly._

_"I think she's becoming more beautiful." – Sting blurted out quietly, looking straight ahead and waiting for Rogue to chuckle or laugh at his face. He usually got teased when he turned sentimental._

It felt strange, talking about her like that. _Sting thought. He had no problem with paying compliments to other girls… If they were beautiful, he would say that openly. There was nothing to be shy about, nothing to feel embarrassed for. But lately, Sting'd found it hard to look her in the eyes without feeling butterflies in his stomach or compliment her without blushing like an idiot. Only when he caught himself wanting to kiss her more intimately did he realize that he started seeing her more than just a friend._

_He glanced at Rogue and found him staring at Lucy with such a sheer concentration._

Beautiful? _He looked at her, sitting on the grass and petting the cats with a smile on her face. Her hair blew gently in the wind, her radiant smile that brought sunshine even in a gray day. Her girly laugh sometimes felt like a small hand was tenderly stroking his back when he heard it… He unconsciously blushed, coughing a couple of times to clear the lump that formed in his throat._

_"Nope, I… don't see anything. She's always like that." – He said quietly and looked at his book again._

_…_

_"Did you just blush?" – Sting said nonchalantly, but Rogue could detect teasing tone in his voice. He blushed harder and raised his book to cover his face. _Damn it.

_"I don't know what you're talking about." – He murmured._

_"You like her?"_

_"No! I don't." – He quickly denied… Maybe a little too quickly. Rogue didn't want to talk about it, he wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible. It made him uncomfortable._

_Sting stared at him for a moment before he smiled knowingly._

_"I like her, too." – Sting admitted._

_"None of my business." – Rogue said coolly, glaring hard at the book in front of him. His friend just chuckled._

_"Whatever you say…" – Sting stood up, running towards Lucy to play with her._

_Rogue just continued sitting there, looking at his two friends, then sighed._

**[End of flash back]**

* * *

><p>The memory was still fresh in his mind, like it had just happened a day before and not a long time ago. Lots of things had changed after that. And eventually, Rogue and Sting… Well, they kinda came to a silent agreement. If it was not him or Rogue, then it couldn't be anybody else<em>.<em> Thanks to their 'protection' and 'silent deal', Lucy had never had a boyfriend until she dated Sting. And the weirdest thing was: Lucy always listened to their opinion about her every single 'potential boyfriend' _without _even complaining.

_"He's too fat."_

_"He's too skinny."_

_"He's a dork."_

_"What kind of fashion is that?"_

_"I see latent violence in him…"_

_"I don't like him."_

_"I hate him."_

Sometimes she argued, but the result was never too good… They would insiston her letting them meet him and then secretly threatened him or turned the poor guy's life into living hell if he was stubborn about fighting for her. Lucy had never been really mad at them for that… Annoyed, but never really mad… Guessed that she could always forgive them no matter what they had done.

Sting didn't want to lose either one of them. The three of them were like puzzle pieces in a small picture. Without one piece, it could never be completed….

* * *

><p><strong>[Mean while]<strong>

"Are you sure you want to do it right now, Loke? You've just been back. Rest and you could do this tomorrow." – Totomaru told his star, looking out the car's window.

Loke sighed. – "I just want to get over with it as soon as possible… And look at me when you're talking to me!" – He growled annoyingly at his manager.

"Nope. Not a chance…" – Totomaru shook his head. "I will never be able to get that image out of my head when I look at you right now."

"You're my manager, damn it! If you can't look at me, how can other people?" – Loke scowled, looking down at his body.

_Holy crap, WHY ME?_ He screamed at his miserable life.

"That's your problem, not mine."

The car stopped near a crossroad and Loke immediately regretted not doing this a day later. He accidentally chose the rush hour and the street was full of people.

"This is bad." – He grunted.

"All right, now get the hell out of this car and do whatever she told you to do. Just stand there for fifteen minutes or so. The car will be waiting here until you return, then it'll get you home. Leave the rest to me." – Totomaru hurried him.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you're too eager to humiliate me." – Loke narrowed his eyes, making the other guy chuckle.

"Nonsense. I assure you, everything will be fine." – He smirked.

Loke sighed. _Whatever…_ It was just a matter of time, he had to do it anyway. The sooner the deal was over, the sooner he could get this out of his mind.

* * *

><p>"Um… Rogue, have you seen my phone?" – Lucy looked under the bed, looking for the device. She heard him pulling out a drawer and, suddenly, the phone was on the bed, right in front of her. Lucy turned around to frown at him. He did it without looking at her or saying a word.<p>

The girl had come back from visiting his godfather's grave 5 hours ago. She played with the kids when they were home; Rogue didn't have the heart to join them. He'd said he didn't feel very well and wanted to be alone. It was almost 4 PM now and he told her to get ready to go home.

At first, Lucy felt guilty for causing this silence, but then she got more and more irritated at him. She didn't like playing Cold War and she hated it when he ignored her like that.

"C'mon, Rogue… Talk to me." – She pleaded, but only met silence again.

Rogue quickly put his things in the backpack, desperately wanting to leave as soon as possible. Yet, Lucy stood rigidly, staring at him.

"Okay, you know what, this is getting ridiculous. What the hell is wrong with you? I told you very clearly that I couldn't choose between you and Sting, because you're both important to me, but you wouldn't just leave me alone. And now, you ignore me? What do you want me to do? Break up with Sting?" – She said, fed up with being disregarded.

"If that's what I want, will you do that?" – Rogue stopped his movement to look her directly in the eyes with an equal intensity.

"Why?" – She narrowed her eyes.

"You can't have us both. Make your choice." – He said coldly and went back to what he was doing.

"I'm sorry, what? I can't have my lover and my best friend at the same time? What the hell is your problem with me dating Sting?" – Lucy tried hard not to raise her voice. She didn't want the children to hear.

Rogue stopped for the second time and looked at her again. His red eyes felt like a sharp knife that cut through her soul. Lucy unconsciously shivered, but she kept the eye-contact. He approached her slowly, like a predator which was about to eat her all. She felt his anger, his despair, his intimate but deadly cold touch caressed her cheek with his eyes. She took a few steps back and stopped when she felt the close presence of the wall behind her. He stared at her, long and hard.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me what you see…" – He murmured.

Rogue poured all his love, his emotions, his feelings for her into his eyes, hoping she could feel it with her sensitive soul. He didn't want to say it, it would just be more painful if he did. He just wanted her to feel it and accept it. It was still hurtful, but it would be less heart-wrecking. Lucy gulped nervously at the look he gave her. She gazed into his eyes, she saw something, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"What do you see?" – Rogue insisted, not breaking the eye-contact.

"Eh…" – Lucy hesitated. – "Your… pupils?" – She smiled nervously and Rogue narrowed his eyes.

"You're sometimes so stupid that it frustrates me." – He turned around, annoyed.

"If I'm so stupid, then just tell me already, you jerk!"

"My problem is that I LOVE YOU, GOD DAMMIT!"

Lucy yelled at him and before she knew it, Rogue was an inch away from her in a flash, slamming his hand on the wall behind her. Lucy widened her eyes, his words resounding again and again in her mind. _He… loves me?_

"I love you and it hurts me to see you're with Sting." – He whispered, putting his forehead on her shoulder. "It hurts and I just want it to go away." – Rogue closed his eyes.

Lucy didn't dare to move. She stood still, listening to his breath. He was holding her hands in his, but the warmth she usually felt when their skin touched was gone. His hands were so cold and it was really weird. Rogue was always warm, no matter how cold his attitude was.

"I'm sorry." – She muttered, tightening her hold in his hands in a soothing way. They were just standing like that for a minute before Rogue pulled back to look at her, his red eyes were just as cold as his hands.

"I'm about to do something, Lucy. Promise me that you won't be mad at me. After this, we will never, ever talk about it again. If that's what you want." – Rogue said, cupping her cheeks and caressing them with his thumbs.. _He loves me… He loves me… He loves me…_ She repeated his words in her mind like a prayer. Her best friend loved her… How was she suppose to feel about this? She couldn't return his feeling no matter what, she was with Sting now… Sad? Guilty? ... Happy? Lucy widened her eyes and shook her head like a crazy girl. She quickly touched his hands before he pulled back and gave her a weird look. Gazing at him hopelessly, Lucy could only nod.

"Anything." – If she couldn't return his feeling, she maybe could do something for him?

He smiled gently, leaning down quickly. Then he kissed her…

* * *

><p>"Pick up your god damn phone, Rogue!" – Sting nearly screamed at the device in his hand. After the tenth effort, he could be able to hear the cold and annoying voice of his brother.<p>

_"WHAT?" – _Rogue yelled on the other side.

Sting let out a relived breath instead of yelling back. "Thank God you picked it up. Listen, don't drive Lucy home. Bring her to our house."

There was a long pause before Rogue uttered a word. – "_Why?"_

The blonde sighed in annoyance. – "Just do what I say. We've got an unpleasant situation, I'll explain when you bring her here." – He grumbled and hung, staring at the laptop on the coffee table.

On the screen, there was a new updated article on a website of a magazine that had just published a new item about Loke's – the famous supermodel – engagement.

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<strong>

_"What are you two doing?" – 10 year-old Rogue asked his friends who were standing under a big sakura tree and giggling together. It was a Sunday afternoon and they decided to go to the park near their houses to hang out together. Sting and Lucy had become really close in a short time._

_"Oh, hey Rogue! Look!" – Lucy greeted him loudly and pointed at the tree-trunk. Rogue stared at it and frowned._

_"You guys engraved our names on a tree? Inside a heart-shape nonetheless?"_

_"Yup. And after that we'll always be friends, we used the heart-shape, because Lucy said it's prettier than others!" – Sting exclaimed excitedly, then turned to grin at Lucy. Rogue was glancing between two idiots standing in front of him, back and forth, back and forth._

_"I don't want to be friends with her." – He deadpanned and turned around._

_"What? Why?" – Lucy pouted._

_"Yeah… That's mean." – Sting scowled at him._

_"No reason. I just don't feel like it and she's annoying." – He shrugged._

_"Hey!" – Sting yelled at him angrily, but the boy already walked away. _

_He looked back at Lucy and saw her eyes began to water. Her nose and cheeks were all red. Grabbing the fabric of her dress, she sobbed._

_"He said I was annoying. Am I annoying, Sting?" – She muttered._

_"Lucy, don't cry. Of course you're not. You're cool and you're my best friend." – Sting patted her head like a big brother, trying to cheer her up. He didn't want to see her cry, he wanted to see her smile._

_"Rogue's always like that. Don't worry, he'll get around." – He grinned and wiped away her tears clumsily. She giggled when her tears smeared all over her face because of him._

_"Do you think putting our names on a tree could make us be friends? What if he hates me forever?" – Lucy said nervously, looking at her feet sheepishly._

_"Yes, I think so. I saw a lot of people do it, they wrote their names on the wall, on the table, or something and they seemed very close. And he can't hate you forever. He's just… annoying." – Sting smiled. _

_Lucy sniffed and nodded.. _Maybe I should try to be more friendly… Yup…_ She thought determinedly, then looked back at her friend, beaming at him. She felt much, much better now._

_"Hey, Sting… I'm about to do something… Promise me you won't be mad at me, okay?" – Lucy said mysteriously; her eyes sparkled._

_Sting tilted her head, looking at her skeptically. – "Okay?" _

_She smiled widely, then stood on her tip-toe, kissing him on the cheek…_

_Rogue stood behind another tree, not far away from them. He saw Lucy kissing Sting and they were now both blushing hard like two tomatoes from face to ears._

_He pouted. _Friends? I don't need friends. _He thought._

**[End of flash back]**

* * *

><p>"What's wrong?" – Sting heard Rogue grunt even before he saw the black-haired guy's figure. He turned to look at the door Rogue just opened with Lucy following closely behind.<p>

He looked her up and down, detecting any weird physical or mental signs. _Something happened… _He was sure of it. He approached her slowly, ignoring his brother for a minute. Bending down until his eyes level was equal hers, he stared at her. Lucy tried to maintain eye-contact, but the look he gave her made her restless.

"What?" – She asked nervously.

"Are you okay?" – He pinched her cheek gently, tilting his head.

Lucy nodded eagerly, looking at the ground. Sting raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but didn't say anything. They had something to solve right now.

"All right." – He pecked her lips and she blushed slightly.

She seemed like she was trying to huddle further into her coat. Sting smiled at her cuteness and turned around to face Rogue. The brunette already sat down, crossing his legs American style; one of his arm spread widely on the back of the couch.

"Why the fuck did you bombard my phone like that? I was bringing her home and it wouldn't shut up." – He snarled, looking at Sting uninterestedly and coldly.

"Language…" – Sting grimaced and so did Lucy.

The boys both knew how much Lucy detested their foul mouth. It was not like she never swore, but she tried to control it as best she could. But it seemed like Rogue was too pissed to even care. Jealousy passed through him at Sting's little show of affection.

"Language? Seriously? I didn't know you've just decided to become a good boy, asshole." – He sneered.

"What the hell is your problem now, you jerk? I don't give a fuck what made you pissed, but I'm not gonna take your crap that you're throwing at me like a baby's throwing his tantrum at his parents." – Sting retorted hotly.

"Oh, Sting… You have no-idea…." – Rogue gritted his teeth, glaring at his brother.

"Oh, shut the hell up, you two. I'm standing right here. If you two decide to keep insulting each other like that, then fine. But I'm not gonna sit around listening to it." – Lucy threw her pack back at Sting, knocking the air out of his lungs. She unbuttoned her coat and tossed it over Rogue's head, then plopped down the armchair, facing the boys.

"Now… What's the situation were you talking about, Sting?" – Lucy asked, wanting to get the problem at hand first. The little… trouble between her and Rogue in particular; between Rogue and Sting could wait later.

Sting sighed and turned the laptop around for his brother as well as his girlfriend to see.

_What the…? – _Rogue and Lucy thought as they looked at the screen where a short clip from YouTube was playing.

_Lucy's fiancé?_

_Loke?_

They turned to look at each other, then busted out laughing. Lucy moved to sit next to Rogue and they huddled their heads together, looking at the screen. The clip showed Loke standing on a crossroad, wearing a female bikini while holding a big carton board: I'm gay.

"Oh God, his fans won't be happy with this." – Rogue chuckled.

"Aw, I didn't tell him that he couldn't wear swim shorts beneath the bikini." – Lucy snickered and Sting gave her an are-you-kidding-me look which made her laugh harder.

"Wait, what? You knew about this?" – Rogue asked perplexedly.

Lucy nodded and told him about the deal she made with the supermodel.

"Wow, looks like the famous model didn't know that our little angelic face Lucy actually has a devilish mind." – Rogue chuckled, eyeing her with mild fake impression. Lucy gave him a smug face and Sting shook his head in amusement.

"But that's not what I'm talking about. The real problem is this." – He closed that tab and another tab popped out. Lucy looked at the article and her eyes widened. In contrast, Rogue narrowed his eyes. A heavy silence embraced them all; none of them uttered a word after reading it.

"I saw this on the Facebook page and the electronic website of the magazine. My friends are sharing this all over their wall. After nearly half an hour ago, this clip was posted." – Sting said solemnly.

"Rogue… Have you, by any chances, already known about this? I mean the engagement?"

Rogue nodded. – "Yes. Before Lucy had the amnesia, Layla-san had told me about this."

"And you didn't tell me about it?" – Sting looked at him accusingly.

"I was waiting for a right moment to say it, just as Layla-san told me to. And I believed Jude-san didn't want to reveal this yet, since he didn't tell Lucy about Loke after the… you know what. Don't know why he did this." – Rogue murmured.

"My father didn't do this. He never does anything without purpose. Revealing the information to the press doesn't leave him any profit, only pressure since I didn't agree to this…. Yes, I remember…" – She paused to answer Rogue's look. – "The person I think that will have the advantage of this will be Loke. Revealing this will not only distract the public opinion, but also confuse them _and… _speed up the engagement since everybody's already known about it. They will have to check his story before they make any conclusion about the "I'm gay" board."

Rogue and Sting listened to her carefully. They must admit that she had a point.

_She's so smart about these stuff, but totally an idiot when it comes to other's feelings. _Rogue mentally rolled his eyes.

"But this also means that he turned his back on Jude-san since your father didn't want to tell it to the press yet. Don't you think it is a risky move? What if your father's mad at him for this… Even your mother doesn't agree on the engagement, Jude-san is his only ally, he can't make him mad." – Rogue said.

Lucy nodded her head, staring at the ceiling to think. – "I don't know. But my father seems very fond of him. Loke will think of a way to 'lure' him or something."

Rogue chuckled, but Sting didn't find this kind of situation funny at all. He recalled the image of Loke and narrowed his eyes. _Over my dead body. _He found the scene in which Lucy and Loke, LoLu - like the shippers would call_, _put a distaste in his mind. If his brain had the power to kill somebody through the internet by just looking at their faces, he would do that with Loke right then and there. He was sure Rogue also had the same thoughts on that matter.

"So… How could we get rid of this guy right now?" – He asked.

Rogue shook his head and Lucy just shrugged.

"My name hasn't been discovered yet. They just said that she's the daughter of the most wealthy man in this country, who 'accidentally' happens to be my father." – She joked, smiling as they chuckled again. "The press probably is waiting outside the mansion to catch a glimpse of me or something. I'll just call him and mom later, asking what I should do right now." – Lucy sighed, leaning back against the couch. Sting and Rogue nodded.

If it's not them, then it won't be was their guideline. This was only the beginning.

* * *

><p><strong>Done ^^~ Tell me what you think! XD<strong>

**My gratitude to: 13darksoulsand1madhater, scarlet 145, dutchangel1979, Hollypool, lucyXnatsu1223, White Devil, sofsof2015, Guest, Guest, Guest (Leave your name next time so I could thank you personally, guys! :D), titaniazoe, SalamandaLove, Guest, GoddessPrimaBella, TwerkingPandah, rolulove4ever, guest**

**Mandy422: Yup, yup, yup. That's what I thought! Aw, and thanks for asking ^^~ My exam is super great XD It was pretty hard, harder than I expected. But I managed to get over it XD  
><strong>

**zin-chan-luvs-u: Sounds like you have split personality or something =))) Here's your new chapter! :/3**

**Dana: Yeah, I know :D I thought about it at some points... Maybe I have to think about it again. :D Thanks for your review.  
><strong>

**Bloody Amethyst: Yeah, that's what I thought when I decided that perhaps I should make it a 3P story... I'm still thinking about it ^^~**

**bluefrost15: Ha, this is the opinion that I must consider! Yeah, it will be fair, right? An open ending :)))**

**ulquihimesz: Aw, thank you so much! As I said, I'm still thinking about it. But don' t worry, I like Rogue, too. I won't leave him a broken heart :)))**

**I'm . such . a . geek: Yeah, she could be an idiot some times :))) My first opinion was StiCy, too. And I also felt bad about making Rogue so sad.**

**Thank you for reviewing, I'll see you guys next time!**


	21. Chapter 21 - What the hell is this?

**Hey, it's Merikatori ^^~ I'm sorry I took so long. I finished last Sunday, but my Bete - Iza was suddenly busy. Anw, thanks to her, new chapter has arrived XD**

**Thank you for reading, following, making this story your favorite and of course, reviewing. I appreciated it a lot.**

**Enjoy ^^~ I'll try to write a longer chapter next time. I've been kinda busy these day. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pure<strong>

**Chapter 21 - What the hell is this?**

"What the hell is this?" – Loke held the Ipad near Totomaru's face, glaring at him.

His manager stopped texting for a minute to look at the device in his star's hand.

"Oh, hey… It's your picture on the... Internet. Yeah, why?" – He exclaimed, then indifferently went back to what he was doing.

"I'm serious, why did you do that?" – He asked again.

After standing about ten minutes on the street while tons of people were taking pictures, murmuring, and snickering at him, Loke was finally able to go back to his car. The driver then took him home and when he was having dinner, trying to forget that humiliating situation, Kira hurriedly popped in into the dining room to tell him that his engagement was spreading all over the country like wild-fire. Loke immediately knew who had done that since there were only four people that knew about the engagement, including him.

"And don't you dare play the fool with me. My father would never meddle with my affairs. What's more, Kira is very loyal to me, I know that well. So tell me, why the hell did you do THIS?" – Loke slammed his hands on the table and yelled at his manager; apparently, the guy didn't care enough to even look at him in the eyes. Right after Kira's shown him the news, he had grabbed the Ipad where the article about his engagement was in and straight away came to find his manager. Jude wouldn't be happy about this.

Totomaru lifted his head to look at the angry star and sighed.

"Well, let just say that I've saved you from humiliation, although it's just temporary. A thank you wouldn't be so bad, you know." – He frowned.

_Tch, I'm always the one who has to run around, cleaning up his mess and this is how he talks to me. Ungrateful bastard._

"Save me? You've just MESSED UP my chances with LUCY!" – Loke grabbed Totomaru's collar and shook him like a more explainable answer could fall out of him if the model did that.

"Oh, for God's sake… The girl doesn't even remember you…" – Totomaru removed Loke's hands from his shirt. – "She made you stand in front of hundreds of people, wearing a bikini, and you still want to marry her? Seriously? Don't you have some dignity, Loke?"

_Kids these days. _He thought.

"Shut up! That's none of your business." – Loke hotly retorted back.

"No, your business means my business, too. I'm you manager and I have the mission to put down whatever could damage your reputation. That's my job."

"It's just a silly bet. I only have to hold a press conference and tell them about it. Everything will be fine. You didn't have to tell them about the engagement, though!"

Loke really didn't know what to do. Jude would soon call him and demand an answer for this deed. And Lucy… Yes, the real problem was Lucy. How would she react on those news since she still had her amnesia? Would she object? …Eh, Probably? Her mother… Scratch that, there was something more important... Would her _two best friends _object? _Definitely._

"The engagement will draw the press's attention from the bet, it will give you quite some time to figure out what you have to say the next time you see them. Your name is all over the newspapers, television, and internet now. Your popularity will shoot through the sky like a rocket. Moreover, you could use this chance to bargain with Jude and Lucy. Thus, you could increase the pressure on Jude, making him quickly persuade his daughter to say yes. It's a win-win situation." – Totomaru shrugged. Maybe it was a little dirty, but… Oh well, that was how showbiz worked.

"That's not how I want to do it." – Loke narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the solution his manager just offered him. Not-one-bit.

"Well, it is now your only alternative. You have no other choice." – The guy smirked.

Loke gritted his teeth. The rice had been cooked, he couldn't do anything to fix that. The only way out that he had now was playing along.

"You'd better hope this could work. If it doesn't, then you're fired." – Loke took the Ipad and headed to the exit.

"As you wish." – He heard Totomaru saying before he closed the door.

* * *

><p><strong>[At Heartfilia Mansion]<strong>

"What the hell is that?" **– **Layla turned off the TV after the news'd been shown.

"…"

"How long were you gonna keep it from me?" – Layla glared at her husband. She was a gentle woman; but when _the _gentle woman was glaring at you, you knew that you had pissed her off.

"I was going to tell you as soon as Lucy got back her memories." – Jude answered slowly, but with ensuring.

There was no point in denying since everything'd slipped.

"You know that I will never agree on that engagement, right? So… Were you trying to manipulate our daughter behind my back?" – Layla took a sip of her tea.

The married couple was sitting at the coffee table in the living room, facing each other. The press was outside of the mansion and many reporters were trying to climb into the back yard to take some photos, which they hoped could show the face of the daughter of the most wealthy family in this country. Layla had been having a small tea party with some of her friends in the yard when the press popped out of nowhere and "attacked" the mansion. When Layla and Jude didn't have any idea of what was going on, she received a call from Sting. The boys asked her if she'd already watched the entertainment news on TV or not. That was how they found out that the secret engagement had been revealed. Due to that fact and the flocking press, Caprico and the body guards had to tighten security around the Heartfilia's estate.

"I didn't do this, okay? I don't know why Loke did what he had, but I'm sure that he has his reason. And about the engagement, I owed Celes a lot. I couldn't say no to a favor for him." – Jude tried to explain to his wife.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this from Layla for long, but he didn't expect that she would find out this way.

"I don't care whatever the hell you owed him, but I'm not gonna let you sell Lucy up as a payment of you debt!" – Layla raised her voice, but Jude seemed unaffected.

"I'm not selling her up. Loke and Lucy are a well-matched couple. Loke is famous, Celes family is rich. With Loke, she will have a bright future."

"Are you kidding me? She will still have bright future, even if she doesn't get married. But the point is, Jude, she doesn't love him. They don't even know each other. Loke's just come here, asking for her hand in marriage and you said yes? We are in 21st century, for Heaven's sake. This will never work." – Layla said firmly.

"Well, I've already said yes to them. The only person I have to persuade now is Lucy." – That time, it was Jude who calmly took a sip of his tea.

"Oh? You think just because she has an amnesia, you can make her say yes to that engagement?" – Layla raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe… You never know what will happen if you don't try. I just have to be sure that I'm making a right move."

"Have you forgotten about Sting and Rogue?" - Jude narrowed his eyes, hearing his wife mentioning his daughter's best friends.

"I'm her father, she will do what I say." – He frowned. Why couldn't she be obedient like some other wives? But, maybe her stubbornness was the reason why he was drawn to her in the first place. He just wished that her inflexibility didn't carry hereditariness.

"And I'm her mother. And _I_ say she can do whatever she wants as long as she has _my _permission." – Layla said, holding her head high and giving her husband the I-am-better-than-you-that's-for-sure look.

"Layla…" – Jude put down his cup of tea. – "That means war, you know?" – He said slowly.

"Oh, you've just realized that? This has been a war since you said yes to Loke without telling me. Well, dear husband, why don't you give it up, because you don't stand a chance."

Jude raised an eyebrow. _Interesting._

"Challenge accepted. Let's see who'll win this, dear wife." – Jude smiled tauntingly and Layla returned the expression.

"Wow, you could clearly see the thunder and thunderbolt blowing up between them." – Virgo whispered to Caprico; the butler just nodded. Two of them had been standing about a feet away from the coffee table, as quietly as grave until Virgo broke the silence.

_Oh dear, this is not good. _Caprico thought.

They were still having a glaring contest until Jude's phone rang. He broke the eye-contact with his wife and quickly answered his phone. It was his daughter. _What am I suppose to tell her? _He asked himself.

"Lucy." – He murmured when he looked at the phone.

"Turn on the speaker volume." – Layla urged.

_"Father…" _– Lucy called, her voice now filled the quiet room. _Father? What's wrong with 'Dad'? _Jude knitted his eyebrows together, making his wife look at him skeptically. There was a long pause before she said something again.

_"Eh… Dad… Ehm… Have you… watched the television?" – _Lucy hesitated.

"Yes, Lucy. I've seen the news. I wanted to tell you everything after you fully recovered. I didn't think that Loke would do something like this when I clearly told him not to. I know you have a lot of questions, but this is not the right time. Hiding your identity is our priority right now. We don't want the press to disturb neither your studies nor private life."

_"I understand. So what should I do now? Sting told me that the press is surrounding our house."_

"Yes. Your mother was the one who told Sting to keep you at their house even though I don't want you to stay with Weisslogia, but we have no choice. Caprico, along with your stuff, will be there in a few minutes. You will stay over at one of my hotels in town." – Jude said, planning every move in his head to fix the mess that Loke'd made.

"_Dad! It was just an accident, it's not his fault. And uncle is on his assignment so… Can I stay here instead?" _

"No." – Jude said and Layla gave him a furious look, which he just shrugged off. – "Lucy, you have to understand that your identity could be revealed any moment. I know the press… And what would happen if they found out that you stayed over at your friends' house? Boys, nonetheless. We know that you're close, but they don't know that. So, for your safety, you're gonna stay at my hotel and that's final."

Layla mused. She had to admit, her husband had a point. The paparazzi were like wild animals and when they saw even the smallest chance, they would use it to assault people out of who they could make a good article – or so they thought. What's more, Lucy was still young; she was a strong person, but sometimes she was very fragile. She was Layla's little girl, after all.

"Your father is right, Lucy. When this incident settles down, you could stay over at their house as many nights as you want." – Layla said casually.

"Layla!" – Jude frowned at her.

"What?" – She shrugged, hearing her daughter laugh at the other side of the phone.

"_Okay. I'll wait for Caprico. Thanks Dad, Mom." – _She said, then hung up.

Jude looked at Caprico and the old butler immediately got the message. He and Virgo quickly went to Lucy's room to pack her stuff for her. She was supposed to go back to the dorm tomorrow.

_You'd better have a damn good plantiff to explain this, Loke._ Jude thought.

* * *

><p><strong>[Erza's dorm]<strong>

"What the hell is THIS?" – Gray suddenly shouted, eyes widening.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me Juvia posted another ton of your pictures on her Facebook and Twitter again." – Erza asked, narrowing her eyes at Natsu, who was grinning with his famous toothy grin.

Erza, Natsu, Gray, Levy, and Gajeel were at Erza's dorm, hanging out together. Levy was doing homework and the rest of them were playing card, excluding Gray. He was checking Twitter when he was overflowed with a new tweet, saying that the super model – Loke – was going to marry the daughter of the most wealthy man in this country. Gray felt like he'd just been slapped in the face.

"Lucy's gonna marry?" – He exclaimed loudly.

They snapped from what they were doing and turned to look at him like he was crazy.

"What?" – Erza quickly stood up and moved to stand behind him, taking a closer look at the tweet, the rest of the friends following closely behind.

"Oh, shit. What the…? What does that mean?" – Natsu grabbed the laptop's screen and shook it.

"Let go, you dumbass." – Gray punched his stomach and the rosy-haired guy fell on his back.

" 'They don't know the name of the girl yet.' Lucy's name hasn't been revealed." – Levy read.

"Yeah. But it's just a matter of time, you know the press." – Erza rolled her eyes.

She was right. They wouldn't let this go if they had found out Lucy's name.

"I wonder what happened. Lucy would tell us if she's truly going to marry someone… Or so I thought." – Gray frowned.

"Yeah… And the Loke, nonetheless. She could have chosen someone smarter!" – Natsu shouted.

"Like you're any better than him." – Gray snorted.

"What do you mean?"

"Guys, stop it." – Erza warned and both of them immediately shut up.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions first. We should ask her what happened. She wouldn't hide something like this from us." – Gajeel resounded after being quiet for a moment. They all nodded in agreement.

_Sting, Rogue… You'd better have some explanation for this. _Erza thought.

* * *

><p><strong>[Weisslogia's house]<strong>

"Okay. Thanks, Dad, Mom." – Lucy smiled and hung up.

"You're gonna stay at your father's hotel?"

Lucy turned to look at Sting and nodded.

"Yup. Caprico will come to pick me up in a few minutes."

She announced and they fell into the utmost silence again. Awkward one. At least, that was how Lucy and Sting felt. Rogue seemed to not care that much. He was swimming in his own thoughts about some places far, far away. At least, that was what Lucy and Sting thought. Well, neither of them had the desire to ask him what he was thinking of since they were busy finding a way to ease the tension in the room.

"So… How was your trip?" – Sting asked, looking back and forth between Lucy and Rogue.

Lucy flinched at the mention of the trip. Fortunately, that went unnoticed by Sting.

"Ehm… It was good, great. Next time, the kids want to see you, too." – Lucy smiled, a little bit unnaturally, but still genuinely. Sting grinned at that.

"Sorry I couldn't be there. I…" – He glanced at Rogue. – "Got some stuff to do."

"Oh, right." – Lucy laughed nervously.

_Great… Just a moment ago, we were so natural, talking, smiling, teasing one another about the engagement and now I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. _Lucy sighed inwardly. _Maybe staying at Father's hotel is a good idea._

"How about you, Rogue? Did you have fun?" – Sting asked. Rogue was about to glare at him, thinking that he was mocking him, but stopped when he realized it was a sincere question. He sighed.

"Yeah… I had fun. A lot of things had happened, but… I had great time." – Rogue said, looking straight at Lucy.

_We will never be the same again, right? _

The girl stopped parrying his sight and she smiled when she saw a spark of contentment in the look he gave her.

The corner of Sting's lips turned up. In a blink of an eye, he thought that he had seen the three of them flew back to the time before Lucy'd gone to America, before they'd had to face so many troubles that carried equally numerable feelings. At that time, they were still innocent, and _those feelings _which they called 'love' were still vague.

'Before they were lovers, they were friends', that was what they said.

In fact, they had to grow up no matter what, even though it meant they would get hurt, they would be desperate, they would be sad because of so many things… But Sting wouldn't let all of those things tear them apart. They belonged together.

*Knock knock*

"It must be Caprico." – Lucy quickly stood up to open the door.

And her servant it was. Caprico and Virgo bowed to her as soon as the door was opened, wearing casual clothes.

"Good evening, Lucy-sama. Sting-san, Rogue-san." – The butler said and the boys nodded back.

"I'm so sorry you have to see us like this. It's the only way that we could get out of the house without being noticed by the press."

"Oh, that's okay. It's good to see you guys in 'normal' clothes for once." – Lucy giggled.

Sting and Rogue moved to stand behind her and the girl turned around to say good bye.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." – She beamed and suddenly gave each of them a peck on the cheeks, then quickly turned around, thereby missing the sight of both of their faces slightly reddened.

Sting snickered. It was weird, really. Kisses and hugs, they was nothing strange to them, they'd already known one another for ten years… But sometimes a small kiss from her, even in a purely platonic form, could make him or Rogue perplexed, just like the first time.

"What's so funny?" – Rogue asked coolly when Lucy got into the car. He waved at her and she smiled back.

"Nothing." – Sting shrugged.

Rogue just hummed, turning around and going back to his room. Sting trailed behind.

"So… Something interesting happened?" – Sting hesitated.

Rogue was still pissed at him. The blonde knew that and he wanted to find out, why.

"Don't wanna talk about it." – Rogue murmured.

"Oh, come on. I know something happened. Something's wrong? We could find a way to fix it, you know."

"It's my business." – He said, opening the door, then slammed it into Sting's face.

"Seriously? Are you having PMS or something? Why are you so bitchy?" – Sting swung the door open to find his brother rummaging in his back pack, trying to find something.

"It isn't called bitchy, it's 'I mind my affairs, you mind yours'. Now, would you please get the hell out of my room?" – Rogue took out his phone, shrugging off his coat and starting to busy himself to avoid talking to Sting.

"I will not leave this room until you tell what happened that has made you so upset."

Rogue closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. This conversation with Sting was the last thing he wanted to have right now. He didn't want to talk about it, he didn't want to think about it, he just wanted to forget about it as soon as possible. Maybe after that, he could finally forget all of the most awkward and painful moments he had ever had with Lucy.

"What the hell are you trying to do, Sting? You're dating Lucy, then you stayed home instead of going to the foster house so we could have some private moments? " – He shook his head, asking what'd been lingering in his mind ever since the moment he'd seen Lucy at the front door of Polyuska's house. – "I don't get it."

Sting stared at him, then sighed in defeat. – "I just want you to be honest with your feelings."

Rogue snorted, then it turned into laughter. Sting couldn't figure out whether it was a bitter laughter or was he laughing in amusement.

"Honest with my feelings? You-are-dating-her, Sting. What did I get when I told her how I feel? I didn't know that watching people get rejected was a sick habit of yours. Fuck off, please." – He checked in his Twitter's account, scrolling down and down without really reading the tweets.

Sting glared at him. _Rude. _He snatched the phone out of Rogue's grasp and turned it off. Rogue rolled his eyes, approaching the bed to lie down, his back facing his brother.

"We're not finished yet. I'm still talking to you."

Rogue didn't budge. Well, it was rare to see Rogue acting so childish. Something really bad must have happened. Actually, Sting was curious, but, most of all, he wanted to see Rogue lose his temper. Sometimes his cold façade was really annoying. Sting picked up a pencil from the study desk and aimed it at Rogue's head. The spiky head of the 2B pencil poke hard at the top of the black-haired guy. Yet, he only turned around to glare daggers at his brother. Sting just grinned tauntingly.

Rogue rolled his eyes again and turned back to his original position, ignoring the other person in his room.

_Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts… Don't let him get under your skin, he's just stupid. Yeah, he's stupid, you're not like him._

Something hit his head again and this time, it was an eraser. He closed his eyes, praying to God or whoever the hell was up there in Heaven to help him not to get up from the bed and strangle that idiot.

Sting wouldn't leave him alone, though. He threw everything he had in his hand at Rogue. A cap of a pen, a ball of paper, a battery charger… It didn't hurt, mind you. But it was annoying as fuck…

"WOULD YOU STOP THAT?" – Rogue screamed when his stand was put at limit.

"Stop what? I just want to talk to you. I'm trying to get your attention." – Sting threw back his imaginary long hair and giggled like one of the fangirls of Rogue. Upon seeing that, his brother made a really weird face.

Rogue wanted to chuckle, but as the same time he really wanted to punch Sting right in the face. Sting knew that he hated the giggling of his fangirls so much.

"If you do that again, you won't leave this place in one piece." – He warned and grabbed the pillow to cover his face.

Sting shook his head and looked around to find something else to throw at Rogue. He looked down at his feet and grinned.

_I wonder if Lucy's gotten to the hotel yet. Yeah… That's it. Thinking about Lucy._

At the same time, Rogue returned to pondering about the girl. She represented much more content thoughts than the idiot in his room. Strange as it might seem, he found himself stop thinking about everything that'd happened this morning or the day before. All the thoughts he had in his mind now were those happy moments that Lucy'd ever gave him since they'd become friends.

But well… life was cruel. As soon as he was about to achieve his goal in ignoring Sting, something else hit his back, hard. And this time, he was a little hurt. Rogue turned around half-way and found a slipper on his bed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Although he never admitted it, everybody knew he had an obsession with cleanliness. So the last thing he ever want to find was a dirty slipper… on his tidy bed. He opened his eyes to scowl at Sting who was beaming like an innocent boy.

"Oops."

_That's it._

"You FUCKING ASSHOLE!" – In a flash, Rogue got out of his bed and threw himself at Sting.

…

* * *

><p><strong>[Flash back]<strong>

_"I'm about to do something, Lucy. Promise me that you won't be mad at me. After this, we will never, ever talk about it again. If that's what you want." – Rogue said, cupping her cheeks and caressing them with his thumbs…_

_"Anything." – If she couldn't return his feelings, maybe she could do something for him?_

_He smiled gently, leaning down quickly. Then he kissed her…_

_The moment his lips touched hers, Lucy froze in shock. Her mind screamed at her and she tried to pull back. But it was not as easy as she thought, because Rogue was keeping her face firmly in his hands and put more pressure in the kiss. It quickly turned from a soft, almost like a chaste kiss into an aggressive and bold one. Lucy put her hands on his chest and used everything she had to shove him away. Yet, it was like she only added more fuel to the fire. Rogue pressed her against the wall; his left hand entangled itself in her hair and pushed her head towards him. His tongue roamed all over her closed lips, trying to coax her to give in. The more she resisted, the more it urged him to go against her will._

No! Please, stop! Stop!

_Lucy felt scared, but not of him. Yes, that was the most terrifying thing. She was not afraid of what he was forcing her to do, she was afraid, because what he was doing excited her. Her heart was racing and the adrenalin was quickly absorbed by her blood, pumping it hard through her veins. She wanted to scream at him, asking what the hell he was doing, but couldn't find any strength to do so, because the moment he put his lips on hers, all her strength was already gone._

_"Open your mouth." – Rogue pulled back to whisper in her ears, his eyes never leaving her lips. Lucy turned her head aside, shaking it as a 'no'._

_"Open-your-mouth, Lucy." – He commanded, this time louder and clearer. – "It's just a kiss." - Slipping his hand underneath her sweater, he found her warm skin. His palm rambled all over her bare back and Lucy gasped in alarm. She glared at him angrily, preparing herself to yell at him. Rogue took the chance and sealed her lips with his again, pushing his tongue pass her lips and down her throat, tasting every corner of her sweet mouth. She jolted at the tentasion, something weird was happening inside of her. And in about ten seconds of haze, Lucy closed her eyes and gave in, slowly moving her lips and following his movements._

"Tch, she cheated on him?"

**No.**

"Yeah, Sting loves her and she cheated on him."

**No... I...**

"Ew, what a greedy bitch."

"I feel sorry for them."

**Please, stop.**

"And she calls herself their best friend."

**No.**

"Hypocrite."

_Lucy's eyes snapped open and her vision was blurred with tears._

_She sniffed slightly, instantly making Rogue pull back to look at her face. He was stunned by what he was seeing, his brows knitter together and regret clearly present in his eyes._

_"No, Lucy. Please, don't cry." – He wiped her tears and hugged her tight. – "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lucy. Don't cry." – Rogue caressed her hair, desperately wanting to reverse the time to fix this._

_Lucy shook her head and hugged back his torso._

It's my fault, Rogue. I'm sorry.

…

**[End of flash back]**

* * *

><p>"Hime-sama… Hime-sama!" – Lucy jolted when she heard her maid calling her.<p>

"Eh… Yes, Virgo?"

"Are you okay? You look pale."

Lucy stared at Virgo for a long time before forcing a smile.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just a little tired."

Virgo looked unconvinced, but she nodded nonetheless.

"Okay, I'll make you some herb tea when we get to the hotel. It will help you feel better." – Virgo bowed slightly and beamed.

Lucy just nodded. _I hope so, Virgo. I really hope so._

**End of chapter 21**

* * *

><p><strong>Done XD I have no idea how long this story is gonna be, but I think it will have less than 30 chapter :D Don't want it to take so long, it'll be boring XD<br>**

**I have a new idea for a new story XD I'll write it asap when I finish Pure. Thank you for reading ^^~ Tell me what you think. **

**Also I know some of you still wonder who is gonna end up with Lucy, but I don't want to spoil so you just have to wait and see XD XD**

**myvo: Here's your new update ^^~**

**Mandy422: Ah, yes ^^~ I'm student now \m/ I'm so happy about it XD And I add some kiss scene between Rogue and Lucy in this chapter XD How could I leave out something like that, right? It's not like we have a kiss scene every chapter, gotta treasure it =)))**

**zin-chan-luvs-u: Thank you for your review XD Here's my new chapter. **

**Bloody Amethyst: Well, if you notice a little more carefully, you'll see that Lucy almost totally has her memories back XD She just hasn't told it to anyone XD **

**I'm . such . a . geek: Thank you! It was not my purpose to make him a douchebag in this chapter XD I didn't expect him to turn out like that :))) **

**ulquihimesz: Hey ^^~ Thank you. Well, like I said you'll just have to wait and find out XD Here's your new chapter. **

**Lauren: Thank you for you opinion ^^~ Well, I have the same thought as yours at some points... It's really hard, but I made my decision XD I hope it will satisfy everyone's imagination :)))**

**bluefrost15, 13darksoulsand1madhater, guest, Stellalona. Thank you all /3 You guys are the best /3  
><strong>


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